Despite intentions, I have not had time to reply to Jim McKenney's post about his mystery crocus and he has beaten me to it with the comment about 'Yalta', which it certainly seems to resemble closely. 'Yalta' (also from a package bought last year) is flowering here now, long after the tommies have gone. I was not previously familiar with it. The character I find most distinct is the purple smudge at the base of the outer surface of the outer segments, which are otherwise a 'wrong side of the fabric' grey with a yellowish cast. The tube is also rich purple. These characters are precisely obscured in Jim's photos, but I can see a purple patch on the inner segment. Maybe you can tell us how extensive the mark is on your discovery, Jim. I have long been very fond of 'Haarlem Gem' which is slightly smaller, more angular and paler than 'Yalta'. I believe a photograph of it illustrates my NARGS article from 1997, 'Some spring Crocuses'. Rock Garden Quarterly 55: 93-96, but my copy is elsewhere. John Grimshaw Dr John M. Grimshaw Sycamore Cottage Colesbourne Nr Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 9NP Tel. 01242 870567 COLESBOURNE PARK OPEN DAYS 2007 Easter Monday 9 April, Arboretum Weekend 15-16 September Gates open 1pm, last entry 4 pm website: http://www.colesbournegardens.org.uk/ -----