It's been a long hard winter, and a cold start to spring, but there have been some warm days over the last two weeks to induce lots of crocus bloom. Over the last several years, I've been trying a technique whereby I harvest the crocus seed in midsummer, then scratch them into the mulch around the parent plants, to attempt increasing the colonies. It has been very effective, and I'm amazed to seed such thickets of little seedlings, wondering why Crocus do not seed around so prolifically when left to their own. The intervention certainly works. After 4-5 years of doing this, lots of seedlings are reaching flowering size. Let me share a few photos, mostly taken Saturday March 28, 2009. I have come to appreciate a few favorite species that are real good "doers" in the garden, among the best being Crocus malyi. I grow three forms, one called 'Sveti Roc', another called 'Ballerina', and a non-varietal C. malyi from Jane McGary. The cultivar 'Sveti Roc' is the most compact, with fuller rounded blooms and rounded tepals. 'Ballerina' has long, narrowed pointed tepals. Jane McGary's form has the largest flowers of the three, the tepals on the narrower side similar to 'Ballerina". All are beautiful with pristine white flowers, orange red stigmas, with flowers that seem long lasting and weatherproof. http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… ...in late afternoon, the buds close up tight, nice brown base to the flowers: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… Another beauty I got from Jane McGary a couple years ago is Crocus suaveolens. It is very short, with goblets of rich lavender, beautifully feathered on the exterior. The flowers are indeed fragrant: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… ... side view showing the feathering and stout stems: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… ... late afternoon view with closed tepals, silvery lilac exterior and purple veins: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… One that I never have enough of is Crocus angustifolius. It's one of those crocus that looks great with flowers open or closed. I grow a two forms, one from Paige Woodward at Pacific Rim Nursery, with heavy brown/purple veining over bright yellow tepals. The other form is Jane McGary, not as heavily veined, and a slightly different shade of yellow. Prolific bloomer that goes on for weeks, and is very weather resistant: Jane McGary form: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… ...Same form, with C. etruscus 'Rosalind' in the background: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… ...Pacific Rim Nursery form, flowers closed in late afternoon: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… I've heard people say they liked Crocus sieberi 'Firefly' best among the several cultivars. Maybe because I only started with a couple corms of this, I have not been overly impressed, preferring the robust and very showy C. sieberi tricolor. But this year with a dozen blooms of pastel tones and distinctly triangular shape to the flowers, it's not without some appeal. http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… All forms of Crocus biflorus are worth growing. Flowering a couple weeks ago and gone by now, is C. biflorus isauricus. Rather dwarf, the pale bluish lavender flowers sport bright golden yellow eyes, and dark purple veining on the back of the tepals. When I shot the following picture, it was below freezing but the flowers opened in the bright sunshine regardless: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… Also from Jane McGary is C. biflorus pulchricolor, taller and spritely upright with solid blue-lavender flowers and conspicuous yellow anthers. I'm pleased that this one is spreading, and my scratched-in-seeding approach is expanding the colony. http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… Crocus etruscus 'Rosalind' is another favorite with exquisite form and substance, the sturdy goblets of a particularly pleasing two-toned lavender. Here are several views taken over the last 2 weeks: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… ...and a photo from 1 years ago today, against a backdrop of snow: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… Taking forever to build up in number, benefitting from my sowing-seed-in-situ work, is the screaming gold C. gargaricus. This year was the best showing so far. The following two photos taken March 21, 2009. http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… Taking a break from Crocus, many trilliums are waking up, the first to bloom is always T. nivale. There are three mature stems, then 3 smaller 4-year old seedlings that bloomed for the first time, again resulting from scratching in seed around the parent plants. You will also see some smaller 3-year 3-leaf seedlings, and a 2-year single leaf seedling. http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… Excuse me for featuring a non-bulb, but growing close by is Helleborus niger in beautiful bloom. It's been budded and ready to open since mid February but the weather had been so cold the buds had to wait for more moderate conditions. Notice in one shot, I point out a small 2-year old seedling... man are these things slow growing! But, they are worth the wait. http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/… Both the trillium and hellebore join company with a number of southestern USA trillium species and Cyclamen, all growing under the canopy of a large Magnolia denudata 'Forrest Pink' tree. Unfortunately the tree was largely smashed to bits in the great icestorm of December 2008. I only finished clearing away yeaterday an astonishing amount of debris, broken limbs, and wreckage from an adjacent grove of staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), able to reach the hellebore and trillium in question. Here are a few shots: The tree in the center (well, what's left of it) is the Magnolia 'Forrest Pink': http://www.plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/icestorm1.jpg ...more shots: http://www.plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/icestorm7.jpg http://www.plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/icestorm6.jpg http://www.plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/icestorm3.jpg http://www.plantbuzz.com/buzz/2009/icestorm5.jpg Good mild rains today, stuff is starting to pop. Good growing to you all! Mark McDonough Massachusetts, near the New Hampshire border, USDA Zone 5 antennaria@charter.net
