Crocus August 2010

[Lesley Cox]

Here we are in August already and (I hope) entering another spring. This is the southern hemisphere of course but maybe northerners will enjoy our topsy-turvy flowering time.

These are in flower now and have been for a few days but I had a computer problem. Went to upload the pics and the screen went black and a few seconds later, the whole shebang turned off. That happened a couple more times so another trip down the road to the computer man. All is well for the moment but I think I'll need a new machine quite soon. Never mind, here are...

Crocus cvijicii x veluchensis. This is a pretty one rather like a creamy version of cvijicii and it is increasing well. I have 3 pots now and will plant them out soon.

C gargaricus

C. sieberi ssp atticus

C. cvijicii (for comparison with the first two).

[Lesley Cox]

Crocus biflorus ssp. melantherus. This has been out for a month.

C. biflorus alexandri. The same one as posted by Tony G a while back but in bright sunshine it looks almost white on the inside.

C. biflorus ssp astrospermus. This little gem is new to me and the picture is a pale shadow, the flower being a rich blue, very tiny and with a navy blue patch at the bases of the outside petals. The who plant is just about 3cms high.

[Lesley Cox]

And when I do the attachthumb thing, I'm told it was incorrect, but it wasn't.

Crocus olivieri ssp olivieri

The precious C. olivieri ssp balansae 'Chocolate Soldier'

[Lesley Cox]

Just look at the (correct) colouring of that bud at the bottom of the last picture!

Maggi, can you remove the extra post above please. Getting to a stage where I may throw this machine out the window!

[Maggi Young]

I've removed the stray post , Lesley.

It's very cheery to see your Spring flowers.... the 'Chocolate Soldier' is very cute.

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Maggie.

The Chocolate Soldier has impeccable provenance. Mine is from Marcus Harvey in Tasmania, Marcus's was from Alan Edwards, Alan's from Primrose Warburg and hers from E A Bowles. Almost like a direct line back to Robert the Bruce.

[Maggi Young]

The Chocolate Soldier has impeccable provenance. Mine is from Marcus Harvey in Tasmania, Marcus's was from Alan Edwards, Alan's from Primrose Warburg and hers from E A Bowles. Almost like a direct line back to Robert the Bruce.

 Better, in my view: after all, Robert the Bruce is more famous for hanging about in caves with spiders than his crocus collection!! 

[I.S.]

  Lesley, that is very nice to see sipring crocuses at this time of year! Your dark form of C. biflorus atrospermus is very nice.
  How do you do for summer rains for growing in plastic bags! That seems an easy way but I have very often rain also in sumer time! I don't think that will work for my climate!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great stuff Lesley !!  The "chocolate soldier" looks gorgeous - and so do the others... 

[Ragged Robin]

here, here,good enough to eat 

[Armin]

Lesley,
I envy you for some real nice croci
How does it come C. biflorus ssp. melantherus flowering in spring?

[Lesley Cox]

Armin, C. biflorus melanantherus usually starts to flower for me in late May which is late autumn but it goes right through the winter and it is very EARLY spring as yet . I think the seasons may be less well defined here than in parts of Europe or Asia with colder winters than ours. But my C. laevigatus never flowers until winter yet in others' gardens it is autumn flowering.

Ibrahim, we have very little rain in summer, even here in the lower South Island, the cooler part of the country. It can be absolutely dry from say November through February or even March. But sometimes we DO get rain and it never seems to be a problem with bulbs. I don't grow in plastic bags on a permanent basis, only for new things that I need to see what they'll do so all these in bags (or rather their contents) will be planted in the garden in the summer. In my little nursery I use the plastic bags though, because they do hold water better than pots and since we only have water from the sky - no town supply - plastic planter bags cut down the watering by at least 50% or more. Because the plants are packed together in trays, that too helps retain water, without a lot of air circulating around them. As well of course, for the nursery, the planter bags are almost weightless and are inexpensive.

[Otto Fauser]

Lesley , good to see so many nice Crocus from your collection . I would have liked to take a number of photos in my garden too ,but constant heavy rain , storms and hail during the last few days have flattened most of them . Here ,the various collected forms of C. laevigatus all flower in April , only the old commercial form 'Fontenayii' extends the season into late May and June . Also D. biflorus ssp. melantherus always fl. in autumn here.
 Your cvijicii x veluchensis is nice - I have never attempted this cross - in colour it certainly favours cvijicii . My biflorus ssp. atrospermus is as dark as yours : did your's come from Erich Pasche too?
 What are the differences between C. gargaricus and herbertii ?and which species is the one you posted ?

[Rogan]

Love all your crocussesses, Lesley! As I have mentioned before, I flowered my first one ever from seed this season (C. goulimyi) and really enjoyed the little thing. I also have a few seedlings of C. cartwrightianus, but they are weak and probably will not make it to flowering size - a pity... Our warm winters and early springs are not the best for Crocus and many other things, but I'll certainly be trying a few more from seed next year - perhaps C. hadriaticus will also do well here?

[t00lie]

I agree with Otto and Rogan ,some lovely Crocus Lesley.

I have a number in loose bud awaiting another warm sunny spell like last weekend.Isn't likely to be the next few days as snow is forecast down to the foothills over the weekend.

Here is one that has a lovely feathering  --intially i wondered if it could be C imperati   ,however after work today ,a little peek and gentle forcing and i see the inside is white with a yellow throat so it seems the label maybe correct as Crocus biflorus ssp biflorus  

Cheers Dave.