Oh my, That is sure pretty!

Here they were in the cool basement before transferred upstairs

This is a larger pot of Purple Prince about to be moved upatairs.

Your place will be so cheerful when the pots come up from the basement.

Oh my I sure did enjoy looking at all the spring bulbs. Ours are just now breaking surface here in frozen south Pa. My first early crocus are up but there isn't enough sun to get them open. It's around 20* out there. I have been cleaning up the bed that has a mass planting of tulips, daffs and crocus. For some reason I don't have any Snowdrops they are so lovely I really must order some. I can't wait for my iris to make an appearance.

Gorgeous forced pots jmorth! This was a great year to force them- a sight for winter sore eyes!

Rick, here's a good example of Crocus that don't show off when the weather is cloudy- Crocus estruscus 'Zwanenburg'







They're kind of gray-ish on the outside sepals, which makes them hardly noticeable on cloudy days, but when the sun is out, the lilac color inside is vivid!

beautiful.Temps up to 38 * so far,going for 50*

Neal, I planted some of the 'Zwanenburg' last fall. Looking forward to seeing them bloom this spring.

Rita, they're great- early blooming and multiply beautifully. I received them originally as a free gift with a bulb order- just 15 bulbs. Now there are 100s of them, and as I accidentally dig corms at other times of year, I spread them around here and there.

Thats what I love about the early crocus. Swaths and clouds oc color.

That sounds great. This past fall was the first time I have planted many of the species or smaller flowered types. Got lots of different ones last fall. Looking forward to them all. I did however, also plant lots of the large flowered crocus also. In fact I planted thousands of crocus last fall so the show this spring should be really great.

>> Crocus that don't show off when the weather is cloudy

Neal, that's exactly what mine did for a week or two. (The last three photos, not the first two.)

Then a lot of rain kind of flattened them, then they came part way back towards looking like your last 3 photos. I think they're getting past their "best by" date now, still without opening.

Oh, well, I remember what they SHOULD look like!

Rita, they'll be pretty this year, but in years to come, you'll be in LOVE with them! I find the species and smaller varieties often increase faster, but the C.vernus types increase nicely too. My first C.vernus opened today, but most are a week or more from blooming.

Rick, sounds like it was just an off year for a good showing, but the plants themselves sound like they're healthy and happy. I recall years when everything bloomed heavily, but weather greatly diminished the show- either too much rain and cold, or getting hot early and frying the blooms soon after opening. We gardeners must be the most hopeful, positive thinking people on the planet, LOL.

The closed shots of C. estruscus 'Zwanenburg' were taken this morning. Now the sun is bright and they've all opened up and I snapped a couple more-- such a cheery sight!

Hmm! I didn't realize they would come and go so quickly.

On weekdays, I only see them in the morning and late evening, and they get full morning shade. Maybe I should find my spotlights and light 'em up, then see what they do!

>> C.vernus types increase nicely too.
>> the plants themselves sound like they're healthy and happy.

I am sure that some of the clumps have multiplied well, and maybe I should even divide them next year or the year after.

I'm not sure whether some of the older clumps have disappeared. In one area, I think I now have 6-8 big clumps, where there used to be 12-15 smaller clumps or singles.

Neal, those look so pretty all opened up in the sunlight.

I don't know why I didn't go in for planting lots of the species types before this. Of course I still planted lots of the large flowered ones but this species are so pretty. And so many different ones to be had.

I put a species mix in a grassy slope and then I put various tommies in some areas. Should be really pretty when they bloom. Some have flower buds already.

The temps have risen and the sun has come out.

They don't look that great in the snow either--the light ones are barely even visible...


My great swath is a mix of early species and later giants (mostly 'Flower Record'), planted 5yrs ago -- just a few handfulls here and there.
I've continued to create new mixes every fall in other locations, because I can't resist buying a few too many crocuses to plant all over the place.
I did try out a few 'Zwanenburg' this last fall and here is one just after that bit of snow melted


I hope they multiply as well

I have never lived anywhere with a warm winter, but I can verify that they don't open without sunshine.

Thanks, Rita! Is this your first year with tommies? They're favorites of mine, showy, and multiply so beautifully, they're better every year.

Holly, those beauties look like Tommies, is that right?

Dirtdorphins, I like those purple C.vernus in the snow! I see what you mean about the white, they're well camouflaged.

Yep, first year.

Yes, they are. I have larger later dutch crocus as well but these little guys give me an early pic up.

Crocus chrysanthus 'Goldilocks'

These were planted last fall. I've been amazed how many blooms one tiny corm produces the first year!

Eranthis hyemais





I posted a pic of some Eranthis a couple of weeks ago, of plants in a spot where I thought I had dug them all out. Here's the spot where I moved most of them, on the north side of the house- the last spot to thaw and warm up, so these are blooming later.