Crocus

Broadly there are two groups: the small, early botanical crocuses such as Crocus chrysanthus and Crocus tommasinianus, opening as early as February, and the large-flowered Dutch crocuses that follow two to three weeks later. Classics are „Ruby Giant“, the striped „Pickwick“, white „Jeanne d Arc“ and sunny „Golden Yellow“.

For naturalising in lawns the early crocus (Crocus tommasinianus) is the first choice: it seeds around willingly and builds lilac carpets over the years. Just one rule matters — the lawn must not be mown until the crocus foliage has yellowed, otherwise the corm starves and the following year stays flowerless.

Crocuses need sun in a double sense: a bright position and the sunshine itself, because in dull weather the flowers stay closed. That is not a weakness but protection for pollen and stigma — and the reason a crocus bed explodes so suddenly on a sunny February day.

Planting is done in autumn, about five to eight centimetres deep in free-draining soil. The most common cause of losses is not frost but voles eating the corms — planting baskets help. Potted crocuses from the shop can simply be planted out in the garden after flowering, where they return in the following years.

One family connection is worth mentioning: saffron is harvested from the stigmas of Crocus sativus — the most expensive spice in the world thus comes from an autumn-flowering crocus. Crocuses must not be confused with the autumn crocus Colchicum, which looks similar but is highly poisonous; with true crocuses the consequences of ingestion are far milder, though they are not entirely harmless either.