Crocuses in the Southern Hemisphere - 2009

[Armin]

Paul,
fine crocus you have. C. mathewii is beautiful.

Dave,
I'm waiting to see your pale lilac C. hadriaticus

[Paul T]

David,

Just for the record.... I typed one as speciosum and one as speciosus and couldn't decide which was right..... I chose the wrong one.  Today in my mind the spelling is correct, yesterday it wasn't.  I'll adjust the original post with a note.

[Lesley Cox]

I'm making a list this year of all my crocuses. Already there are 14, starting with kotschyanus, always the first to put up a flower. Maybe some pics later in the day when the sun comes round. I have a heavy head cold, the first for many years so no resistance and really, all I want to do is die.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

14 out already!!    Looking forward to your pics.  I hope you get better cold-wise.  Those heavy head colds are the nastiest things, just feel like crap.  Best wishes for a quick recovery!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wonderful Crocus Paul !!!
I'm not telling you anything new, but C. Mathewii looks gorgeous  and seems to be enjoying life too in the Crocus bed !

Get well soon Lesley !!

[Paul T]

Glad you're liking them Luc.  I took another pic of the mathewii when I got home from work this afternoon..... that little bud in the background it now two fully open flowers, so I have 6 flowers out now (and there was one absolutely ecstatic bee rolling around in the pollen!  ), well they were earlier when it was sunny anyway.  Not going to bother posting the newest pic of the 6 flowers though, unless the bee pics work out well.  I still haven't downloaded them off the camera to check.

[David Nicholson]

Lesley, I find three large single malts, one after the other, has a very healing effect

[Rogan]

I can grow many things, but one thing I can't grow is Crocus!!!

Somewhere, recently I read something about a species of Crocus that grows relatively well in mild climates - was it Crocus serotinus ssp salzmanii ? I have probably asked this question before, but short-term memory loss has robbed me of that particular information.

To date the only Crocus species that I've had a measure of success with is C. goulimyi - no flowers yet though...

Keep the pics coming, they're really beautiful - thanks.

[Lesley Cox]

Lesley, I find three large single malts, one after the other, has a very healing effect

I'll wait until Roger is home so there's someone to pick me off the floor.  Feeling awful yesterday, worse today. Starting 2 weeks holiday tomorrow to get gardening done, paper/painting the bathroom, cleaning out the potting shed. Hope I don't have to spend any of it in bed, where I'm going back to, right now.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

I find that so often when a holiday is scheduled I come down with some sort of cold/flu.  I think when you HAVE to work you tend to fight it off, but as soon as it gets close to the holiday and you start to relax the bug comes back and gets you. 

[t00lie]

Hello Armin
sorry for the delay --had a few computer problems.

First pic of C.hadriaticus in the sun

Followed by the same plant in the shade.

Cheers dave

[Armin]

Dave,
thanks for your pictures.
Very nice "pale blue" C. hadriaticus.
Does it set seed?

[fermi de Sousa]

Lesley,

I find that so often when a holiday is scheduled I come down with some sort of cold/flu.  I think when you HAVE to work you tend to fight it off, but as soon as it gets close to the holiday and you start to relax the bug comes back and gets you. 

The technical term is "Parasympathetic overshoot".
Psychology 101 - or was it Physiology 101? - It was way back in 1983!
cheers
fermi

[t00lie]

If it sets seed Armin i'll contact you.

Cheers dave

[Lesley Cox]

Feeling a lot better today and I may live.

Here are some truly awful pics of crocuses out at present. Everything is against them, the weather, very hot dry, strong winds, a small dog who likes to garden and the fact they haven't been weeded until immediately before the pics. I'll repot for next year or get some at least into the garden.




C. hadriaticus, lilac form, the first as it started the second, a subsequent, better coloured flower.


The same phenomenon in C. robertianus.



C. goulimyi 'Mani White.'


C. mathewii. Last year the petals were very pointed.

As well, so far CC banaticus, banaticus albus, vallicola, speciosus, pulchellus, p. 'Zephyr, hadriaticus ssp parnassicus, kotschyanus, k. hakkiaricus, nudiflorus, pallasii ssp. pallasii, serotinus salzmannii (asturicus), have all been and gone or are in flower now.