Crocus and companion plants in the garden February 2010

[TheOnionMan]

One of my favorite Crocus is is C. malyi, because it is early, has pristine white flowers, and as crocus go ithe flowers are more weather-proof than many, and they increase well. I have uploaded some photos:

1-4  C. malyi 'Sveti Roc' - dwarf, with perky rounded flowers.
5-6  C. malyi (no cultivar), but it looks closer to 'Ballerina' with the more upright flowers and longer pointed petals.
7-10 C. malyi 'Ballerina' - larger upright flowers, long pointed petals.  Photo 9 shows C. angustifolius and C. kosaninii in the background.
                                  Photo 10 is with the flowers closed, rather elegant I think.  Notice the many seedlings in the grouping.

[Sinchets]

Simon - I really like C. danfordiae, another one I don't grow.  Hard to believe that yours are in bloom now, outside, in Bulgaria!  Here there is still so much snow, and it hasn't been above freezing for many weeks.  I also like the short stubby foliage on that Crocus species, or at least short as the flowers emerge.

We haven't been above freezing for weeks either and the rest of the garden is still under snow- we have more on the way tomorrow. This bed is near the south wall of the house and the first thing this morning was frozen solid. There is a patch of C.korolkowii about 30cm further from the house wall, which have just made it through the snow- but elsewhere the snow is too deep.

[TheOnionMan]

Earlier in this thread, I show a picture of one of my "shrub rings", the double-duty or dual-planting technique of growing small choice bulbs (many crocus species) at the base of late-to-leaf-out tap-tooted shrubs and trees.  Expanding on this a bit, here a a few shots of these shrub and tree rings, surrounded by lawn, each ring can hold a couple dozen choice bulbous plants.  When the bulbs are dormant and leave bare ground the shrubs & trees take over the show. 

There can he hazards however, such as the great ice storm of Dec 12, 2008.  The Hibiscus syriacus Bluebird looks sad, but recovered fine, although needed to be "uprighted" in the spring from a definite tilt after the storm.  There is also Hibiscus syriacus 'Aprodite' where the root ball started to lift from the weight of the ice. Eventually the root ball popped up totally out of the grownd, could not upright the shrub (with great difficulty) until the ground thawed three months hence.  Many of my crocus and Iris histrioides cultivars were damaged or lost from that episode, the Hibiscus didn't seem to mind the ordeal.

Last photo is Crocus sativus foliage encased in ice.

[TheOnionMan]

Now a few companion plants for crocus in the open garden.  The early reticulata Iris are beautiful and flower at the same time, although one has to deal with that ridiculous elongating foliage afterwards, 60 cm tall or more. Very popular now, available at big box home improvement stores here in the USA, are bargain bags of Iris 'Kathryn Hodgkin', just $5-$6 for something like a 40-count bag!

Dwarf Tulipa species are good companions too, although mostly flowering after crocus.  My favorite among them are T. bifloriformis, flowering just after Crocus malyi, and T. polychroma, with richly perfumed flowers.  Also shown is Gagea fibrosa (got it from Jane McGary), the genus indeed showing its affinity with Tulipa, the bright yellow "stars" lasting a long time.

Edited by McMark for more accurate naming on Iris species and cultivars  -and by maggi to allow those names to be picked up by the search facility!         

Iris_histrio_and histrioides_cultivars_04-03-2006rs2.jpg
Iris_histrioides_cultivars_and_histrio_04-03-2006rs.jpg
Iris_Sheila_Ann_Germaney_and_Crocus_sieberi_tricolor_04-14-2005rs.jpg
Iris_Kathryn_Hodgkin_04-05-2008rs.jpg
Iris_Kathryn_Hodgkin_04-19-2009rs1.jpg
Tulipa_bifloriformis_04-05-2009rs1.jpg
Tulipa_bifloriformis_Frit_pudica_04-19-2009rs2.jpg
Tulipa_pulchella_violacea_1.jpg
Tulipa_polychroma_04-19-2009rs.jpg
Gagea_fibrosa_2008a.jpg

[Maggi Young]

EEEEK! McMark.... virus in those Iris 'Katharine Hodgkin'....... see the dark blue streaks .......that can go through your other reticulatas in a flash and wipe them out!

[mark smyth]

Mark Iris_histrioides_cultivars_04-03-2006rs.jpg is a lovely plant. Why are you onion man when you have a brilliant collection of bulbs?

[udo]

Mark Mc, the plant in the first picture is Iris histrio.

[TheOnionMan]

Mark Mc, the plant in the first picture is Iris histrio.

Thanks Dirk, you are right.  I hastily gathered up some photos of companion plants to crocus, and wasn't sure which Iris was which, because most my digital photos are left named as numbers only, I always intend on going back and renaming photos later, but often don't.  This particular tree ring has Iris 'Kathryn Hodgkin', 'Frank Elder', 'Sheila Ann Germaney' I. histrio, and I. 'Sindpers'.  Since I can't go outside and check the labels (they're under snow/ice), I need to look more closely at the placement of the plants relative to each other.

Just to the right of the very blue I. histrio, I see a white label with "Sin" visible... it is I. 'Sindpers', and I remember these two were planted side-by-side. You can see 'Sindpers' just emerging on the right.  In fact, here's a photo of 'Sindpers' which flowers after I. histrio.

Thanks for the clarification.  You're all a sharp bunch out there!

[TheOnionMan]

Mark Iris_histrioides_cultivars_04-03-2006rs.jpg is a lovely plant.

My mistake... Dirk caught my slip up, the Iris in that photo is I. histrio, the photo relabled accordingly.

Why are you onion man when you have a brilliant collection of bulbs?

Because, I have layers  

[Thomas Huber]

Mark, another great series of your tree rings, many thanks.
I also love Crocus malyi, even if it's just another white Crocus.
It's so easy to grow, sets seed reliable and like you mention it
stands strong in all weather conditions. I'm sure we will see more of this
species in future. But I've noticed, that in your 2007 photos the yellow
throat isn't apperently like in the 2009 photos. Is it only on the screen or real?

[TheOnionMan]

But I've noticed, that in your 2007 photos the yellow
throat isn't apperently like in the 2009 photos. Is it only on the screen or real?

Which of the two forms are you referencing; 'Sveti Roc' or 'Ballerina', for both of those I show photos dated in 2007 and 2009.  I think you refer to 'Sveti Roc' where the camera is looking directly down at the flowers.  In the 2007 view, it is later anthesis, one flower is already gone over and the petal texture getting thin on a couple flowers, so what I imagine is the yellow center fades as the flowers age.  In the 2009 photos it is fresh early anthesis. 

Regarding photos, obviously I manipulate my avatar images  ;D  but all plant photos are what they are, untouched except for typically applying a "sharpen" filter on them after resizing the images down. On images taken in poor light, either too bright or two dark, I might also apply a "brightness" adjustment to compensate.  I use my daughters inexpensive (cheapo) entry-level Nikon Coolpix, really must get myself a better camera to get shots like Mark S or Cliff B 

[Thomas Huber]

I meant all the 2007 photos, Mark. But it may be that it's due to the late season.

[tonyg]

... all plant photos are what they are, untouched except for typically applying a "sharpen" filter on them after resizing the images down. On images taken in poor light, either too bright or two dark, I might also apply a "brightness" adjustment to compensate.  I use my daughters inexpensive (cheapo) entry-level Nikon Coolpix, really must get myself a better camera to get shots like Mark S or Cliff B 

The pics are fine McMark.  I use one of the early Coolpix and am still pretty happy with the results.  I also make the same minimal adjustments and folk seem to like them.  Have looked at alternatives .... there are tooooo many to choose from

[Michael J Campbell]

The crocus bed is waking up.

[Armin]

Michael,
nice clump of the Dutch Golden Yellow!
Have you ever observed male blackbirds attacking the yellow flowers buds?