gemini_sage said:Large flowered Crocuses are really showing off today, had to snap lots of pics! 'Jeanne d'Arc' is one of my absolute favorites- nothing plain about this white beauty, they seem to glow in the garden.

• Dutch Crocus (Crocus vernus 'Jeanne d'Arc')
• Uploaded by gemini_sage

• Dutch Crocus (Crocus vernus 'Jeanne d'Arc')
• Uploaded by gemini_sage

• Dutch Crocus (Crocus vernus 'Jeanne d'Arc')
• Uploaded by gemini_sage

'Grand Maitre'- this variety hasn't multiplied as much as the others, but returns reliably.

• Spring Crocus (Crocus vernus 'Grand Maitre')
• Uploaded by gemini_sage

'King of the Striped' has been vigorous, and looking happy today!

• Dutch Crocus (Crocus vernus 'King of the Striped')
• Uploaded by gemini_sage

• Dutch Crocus (Crocus vernus 'King of the Striped')
• Uploaded by gemini_sage

McClure & Zimmerman sent a free pack of 5 or 6 crocus with my order last Fall and it looks like I got a couple of King of the Striped mixed in. I'm going to take some pics today, since the sun is out and it's suppose to get to 64.

Beautiful photos Dirt & Neal. I just love seeing masses of those crocus! I'm having zone envy!

Are you sure crocus will not grow in your zone? Somehow I think they might.

flaflwrgrl said:Beautiful photos Dirt & Neal. I just love seeing masses of those crocus!

Makes me want to get bunches of them this Fall!

Newyorkrita said:Are you sure crocus will not grow in your zone? Somehow I think they might.

We seem to be just a bit south for them. Oh, I expect I could get them to grow for a year or 2 & then I'm sure they would poop out.

Scilla bifolia Rosea

So dainty & sweet.

flaflwrgrl said:

We seem to be just a bit south for them. Oh, I expect I could get them to grow for a year or 2 & then I'm sure they would poop out.

That is a shame. They look so lovely when they naturalize!

Rita, Ann can naturalize Rain Lilies, I think that makes us even, LOL!

And speaking of Rain Lilies (Zephranthes), Ann @flaflwgrl , do you have the large pink? ( I think Z.grandiflora is the one I'm thinking of)

Little blue Muscari azureum are just starting to show color. Hoping they're in bloom with Rip Van Winkle Daffodils planted with them.

It is true that Ann can grow things I can't so I guess it does even out.

And Rain Lilies have a Crocus like appearance.

Another plant with a Crocus like appearance, that I would love to grow, is Sternbergia. They're listed as hardy to zone 7 in most sources, although I have seen mention of them surviving in zone 6.

Wow, those are really pretty. And from looking at the picture, I would have sworn they are crocus! Never heard of them before.

I'm having serious crocus envy here in So. Cal. I did plant some one year, but they're annuals here.

Concerning spring blooming bulbs that have short bloom stalks, I found this.

" When bulbs do not receive sufficient weeks of cold treatment, they bloom too close to the ground, on too-short stems". http://www.americanmeadows.com...

I didn't know that.

Neal is so right! I *can* naturalize rain lilies. Thank you for reminding me of that Neal. Perspective, perspective. Whenever we get zone envy we can always find something we can grow that others can't or in this case, something we can naturalize that others can't. So yes, that certainly makes up for not being able to have crocus. That does make us even.

Neal, I have the Z. Labuffarosa which is a large pink


And Z. Citrina which is a dainty bright yellow


And the ones you sent me when we traded which by the way are doing better than my others. I so enjoyed seeing them last year and hope to see more this year. I let them go to seed and look forward to when those seeds are large enough to produce blooms.

I had no idea about Sternbergia! I am glad you mentioned it and posted the photo from the db. They will be wonderful here! I am definitely going to have to get some of those. They will look so pretty out in the grove. I had better get on the hunt for some bulbs as I expect I need to plant them pronto so they can make roots in time to bloom this year.

Checking Old House Gardens they say they are fall planted bulbs so I guess I will just have to put them on my fall order list. I have just the perfect spots picked out for them already.

Some pics today.....

Crocus 'Twilight'



Glory Of The Snow with honeybee (Scilla - don't know which one)



Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica 'Spring Beauty')

Blue Pollen



Mixed crocus






Mixed Crocus with Tulipa humilis 'Violacea Black Base'




Scilla bifolia 'Rosea'






Crocus 'King of the Striped'



These were suppose to be 10 Darwin Hybrid 'Rosy Delight' from Longfield Gardens. As you can see, they're not, since they have striped leaves. I'll be contacting them before Fall.



Anemone blanda 'Blue Shades'




Narcissus 'Geranium'



Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata) - Emerging Growth

I took a lot more pics on March 16 than I posted, I didn't know if you'd want to see them all. They were mostly closeups of the crocus that I posted.

Ohhhhhhhhh NICE Marilyn! Very pretty. You have to love the blue pollen.