Crocus February 2011

[tonyg]

I understand that Ray selected Ronald Ginns out because it was different from anything else that was in cultivation; few of us have had the good fortune & pleasure to see hillsides of Crocus sieberi in nature.

Does it increase well Rob?  Your picture shows a nice clump.  If it is a good doer it would be worth a name for that alone!  Most of the forms of C sieberi sieberi that I have are resolute non increasers ... seed only, no corm division.  Hubert Edelston is justified as a named form because it does increase, hopefully Ronald Ginns has a future for the same reason.

[Rob Potterton]

Hello Tony. Lovely to see the family with you on Saturday, my how they grow!!!! Oh yes, Ronald Ginns is definately a good increaser.

[Jo]

Close to our meadow garden is another meadow with old fruit trees (mostly appletrees).
The naturalized Crocus tommasinianus which obviously escaped from the old garden
beside it makes it to a real gem for a short time.

I have a very similar old orchard about three miles from here which looks stunning at the moment.  I guess its about two thirds of an acre, maybe more , and is full of Crocus tomasinianus, purple and white forms.  The purple ones look like 'Whitewell Purple', but thats just a guess.

I wonder if the mowing regime has spread the seeds about. Maybe a ride on without the catcher ?

This garden is about 5 miles from RHS Rosemoor in Devon and is well worth a peek at if heading that way.

(edit by maggi to sort out the "quote box" )

[ChrisB]

What a wonderful sight Jo.  Thanks for sharing.  Doubtful I'll ever be down to see it in the flesh, but you never know...

[Armin]

I like all crocus meadows independent of being in the wild or purposefully planted!
Crocus flowering in masses or in large clumps are simply breathtaking
Thanks for posting your images.

Rudi,
indeed a very nice tommie

Janis,
thanks for showing your images from the wild.
Good luck for phylogenetic analysis of the nicely black anthered (formerly supposed subsp. isauricus) and I'm exited if it is a new (sub)species. I hope you brought some samples safely home and you will have a good growth rate soon.

[Tony Willis]

I understand that Ray selected Ronald Ginns out because it was different from anything else that was in cultivation; few of us have had the good fortune & pleasure to see hillsides of Crocus sieberi in nature.

I do not know why I got into this in the first place as I have been forbidden by Mrs W. to enter into controversial subjects so my final comment is ,how do you define cultivation? Are the ones self sown in my sand in cultivation when I dig them up and put them in a pot? If by cultivation it means commercial then I go back top my earlier comment it is personal choice and I would not have picked that particular one as being exceptional.I would also add that even though few may have had the opportunity to see them in nature Ray has,he was with me.

[ian mcenery]

Rudi and Jo lovely to see the tommies naturalising they might here (and a stalwart few do)  if I had my way but maritial harmony has to be maintained by frequent lawn mowing

[Jo]

Haha, Ian, marital bliss comes first

[Rob Potterton]

Tony I agree with Mrs W and an interesting question ...... "How do you define cultivation"?? Whenever we have raised a seedling or found a sport that is different from the norm we have asked a number of specialist growers or national collection holders their opinion, "Is it different" or "Is it in cultivation" and "Is it worth naming" to get a consensus.
When Ray Cobb approached me 10 or maybe 15 years ago he said he'd got a few different clones of Crocus sieberi one of which he felt was exceptional - i think this was "clone number 2" but could be wrong on that. This he said was different from anything else currently in cultivation and knowing Ray's extensive knowledge, that was good enough for me. Later when we had significantly increased the number of bulbs we asked him to provide a name for commercial distribution of the bulbs, thus "Ronald Ginns", named after a late, dear friend. To this day i have not seen anything better than it. Tony, if you have bulbs in your sand plunge that are far superior to Ronald Ginns they should definately be shared around. Do you have my address??
Apologies for any spelling mistakes or bad grammer; this reply typed with one finger whilst eating salad & quiche - keyboard now a real mess  

[Maggi Young]

whilst eating salad & quiche

Crikey... it MUST be Spring with a menu like that.
Even Ian had a salad with his steak pie for lunch 

[David Nicholson]

whilst eating salad & quiche

Crikey... it MUST be Spring with a menu like that.
Even Ian had a salad with his steak pie for lunch 

Salad with steak pie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No chips!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The man must be suffering for something

[tonyg]

I have a very similar old orchard about three miles from here which looks stunning at the moment.  I guess its about two thirds of an acre, maybe more , and is full of Crocus tomasinianus, purple and white forms.  The purple ones look like 'Whitewell Purple', but thats just a guess.
I wonder if the mowing regime has spread the seeds about. Maybe a ride on without the catcher ?
This garden is about 5 miles from RHS Rosemoor in Devon and is well worth a peek at if heading that way.

That is the most impressive massed display I have seen!  Curious to see closer shots.  Are there many variants or predominantly one form plus whites?  They look unusually uniform dark purple for tommies, I would expect to see some (a lot) of paler ones, especially if seeding around and hybridising with whites.  At first glance I thought "Wow - fabulous naturalised Crocus vernus" ... then I read the post

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Amazing finds Janis !!
Thanks for showing !

[ChrisB]

Even Ian had a salad with his steak pie for lunch  Wink Cheesy

Would that pie be the one originating in Dunblane by any chance.....

[Maggi Young]

Even Ian had a salad with his steak pie for lunch  Wink Cheesy

Would that pie be the one originating in Dunblane by any chance.....

It would, Christine..... indeed , it was one of several originating in Dunblane