Mark McDonough wrote, >I have posted three photos of Crocus kotschyanus ssp. kotschyanus >'Reliance' >This is typically the first autumn crocus to bloom in my garden. The name of this clone is 'Reliant'; it originated in the garden of the great bulb grower Frank Waley. It is indeed a good one. An even better one is that which I have under the collectors' initials "JRJK" (I think JR is Janis Ruksans), which flowers at the same time, just as profusely, and is a bit more substantial and has brighter markings in the throat. Both clones persist well in the open garden here, suggesting that they have some trick of deterring rodent predation -- perhaps they pull their corms down quite deep. Close on its heels here are C. cartwrightianus and C. serotinus. In the bulb frame, the lovely C. karduchorum (the real one, not the poor form of C. kotschyanus often distributed under that name) and C. boryi are in flower. Jane McGary Northwestern Oregon, USA