Harbingers of Spring....Show us your Crocus!

Finally, after a long, cold February, March finally arrived, and with it brought our first, much longed for, sunny, warm days. Bonitin's thread on Botanical Crocus had me out every chance, brushing mulch aside anxiously awaiting those first blooms.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/691534/

I live in a wooded, shady hollow and my bulbs bloom a bit later than others nearby. Blooms are finally here! Had to share my joy with some pics of these treasured babies and their early bird companions, and would love to see yours!

Above is C.'Zwanenburg' on a sunny day. Very subtle when closed, but I love the feathering.

A closer look:

These have increased beautifully. Started with 15 bulbs as a free gift in fall '04.

Snow Crocus, Blue Pearl on a cloudy day.

And on a sunny day

I have several white snow crocus, some purchased as Purity, some as Snowbunting, but I can't tell them apart, lol. I love them- the white really glows!

When closed, all the white ones have a dark base that I like.

'Ruby Giant' really glows in the sun, in a way I could not capture. A little more red-purple than the pic depicts.

Up close:

These are some large flowered C.vernus hybrids, just sold as purple. I love the big, satiny petals and the chalice shape.

The bees love them too.

I think this is Yellow Mammoth. I have Goldilocks nearby, but this one is a bit larger is more of a solid, pure gold color, so I think I have it right, lol.

Open and satiny!

I believe this is Goldilocks.

I'm unsure of the id on this one, but I love the brown feathering. For some reason I could not get a decent pic, this is the least blurry, lol.

I love Iris reticulata with Crocus!

And lastly, another view with Sophia sauntering past. Now, show us yours!

Gem, Love your pics of the dainty crocus! And your iris reticulata! Are yours already out?!

No sign of my iris ret. and, of course, I have already whined to you about my crocus crop failure, I think. The voles must have had a real feast on mine! (400 crocus bulbs on the critter buffet---and your photos are making me really envious!)

Love your photos. Keep them coming! (Not much showing in my garden yet....)

Thanks, t. These pics were all taken in the last few days; the sun has really brought them out. There are still several I.reticulata just emerging from the mulch, so don't give up on them. A friend and I bought a quantity of snow crocus in fall of '05 and split the order. Usually his bulbs bloom at least 2 weeks before mine, but he has not been seeing any crocus. Aaahh, but he found the culprit: his peacocks! Each morning they've been eating the blossoms as they emerge. I've been lucky this year; since my dog turned out to be useless lately at keeping deer and bunnies away, at least the neighbors dog is doing the job.

Wow Gemini!! What a feast of gorgeous beauties!
How is the first one called? Love that heavenly blue colour.
Nice that it is your turn now to enjoy them. Mine have faded out by now.

Thanks, bonitin! The first 4 pics are all of C.'Zwanenburg' (I think I'm remembering how to spell that, lol). Big difference when the sun is shining! We had a couple of sunny days over 70F, and some of the earliest to bloom are now fading. But, the first Narcissus started opening here yesterday- the show must go on!

gemini_sage, wonderful posting. I just went out to cheer mine on. I can see one tiny speck of blue on one bulb trying to emerge. I may have to hire a whole marching band to help them along. I remember having them well before now in past years, but most of my older ones had petered out a few years back (or eaten like poor tabasco's), so these are all ones I planted in the fall. Could I have planted them too deep? Patti

Thanks, Patti. I have noticed the first spring for fall planted bulbs they are often later blooming than once they've settled in to the garden. Most of these are in their 2nd year and seem to be blooming earlier than last year. Some of the "early" daffodils I planted last fall (like 'Jetfire', which in some areas blooms with crocus) are just emerging from the mulch, while established varieties are already starting to bloom. Keep that marching band playing!
Neal

At least my 'jetfires' have come back! Loads of those in bloom today and I see I will have to divide them this year. I think I will try to do it just as they finish blooming...

thank god I don't have peacocks here! That would drive me crazy, too!

I love your shots of the crocus. I don't see how you can bear to move to your new place (although it sounds lovely, too!).

I'd recommend that you wait till your 'Jetfire' foliage is yellowing before you divide them. I brought all those daffs from my Mother's house just after they had bloomed in '05, but most of them did not bloom last year. Being disturbed seemed to force the bulbs into early dormancy. I do see tons of buds this year though! I'd love to see a pic of yours :)

Room for expansion is fueling my positivity toward this move. The woody plants start going to the new place this weekend if the weather allows.

This message was edited Mar 15, 2007 4:35 PM

Neal, thank you for the reassurance. I am more hopeful. Tabasco, I planted some Jetfire so I would love to see some of yours. I am still basically bulb-less thus far and feeling very envious. Thank goodness that I have a Gh loaded with blooms. Patti

No crocus here - would you settle for Calla, Iris, Cestrum, Alstroemeria, Freesia and Ranunculus instead?

This message was edited Mar 16, 2007 9:57 AM

This one's just Ranunculus and Freesias. I'm a sucker for the Bloomingdale Hybrid ranunculus - I buy a pot or two almost every year in the nursery even though I have no place to plant them anywhere!

Glorious!! Thanks so much for a new surge of zone envy, LOL!

These crocuses were photographed where I work.

The same clump backlit by the sun.

Several varieties.

My crocus and iris reticulata have been in bloom for a few weeks now. This is one of my favourites - crocus versicolor.

Ladykiller

I'm not sure of the name of this one - if anyone could ID it that would be great!

Minimus - a tiny gem!

Biflorus pulchricolor

Blue Pearl - gorgeous in the sun

And again another unknown but what a fantastic sunny yellow!