Tag Archives: crocus

Happy Easter! (almost)

Another warm day and we jump ahead a week (and I’m sure we’ll take three steps back tommorow).  Generally I prefer a long drawn out spring, but at this point I’ll take anything we can get, even if it means fast-forwarding through the season.  Five days ago the bunny buffet officially opened with its first crocus bloom and now a second sunny day has brought out the rest of the snow crocus (mostly crocus chrysanthus types).

crocus lawn of dreams

Van Egelen’s “lawn of dreams” crocus mix just starting to bloom. 200 snow crocus barely make a splash, but it’s enough to bring me out to sit in this part of the garden on a sunny day.

These are what remains of a fall 2012 planting <for more planting details click here> of about 200 snow crocus and maybe 150 tommies (crocus tommasinianus).  The tommies are not yet up but are supposed to be better spreaders and less tasty to all things which love crocus as much as I do.  Unfortunately Pennsylvania rabbits must be a less refined bunch since in my experience they mow down all crocus equally.

snow crocus naturalized lawn

They sure would look nicer spotted about in a velvety green carpet of lawn, but this is the Pennsylvania tundra so you get what you get!

I don’t mow this patch of thin grass until late, so waiting for the crocus foliage to die off naturally is no problem, but if you are a mower keep in mind that the crocus need to grow for five or so weeks after blooming in order to build up next year’s blooms.  Because the rabbits were so brutal on both bloom and foliage last year I didn’t think I’d see any flowers this year, but fortunately they came through even if a little weaker.  Luckily the snowdrops are not at all tasty to bunnies.

first snowdrops galanthus

The first snowdrops opening in the backyard.  They’ve multiplied but not so much that I can’t still count every last bloom to compare to 2014’s show…. sad and desperate, I know.

I of course did not follow the rules of common sense last year and ended up adding more new and expensive snowdrops to my garden.  They’re just as white and drop-shaped as my free snowdrops and all the other ones I have, but they’re much much better 🙂

galanthus lapwing

Galanthus ‘lapwing’

Another new bulb added last fall is iris “Katherine Hodgkin”.  Everyone loves Katherine for her subtle colors and intricate patterns…. except me.  I have a lower class of taste and of course prefer the brightest colors, and this one doesn’t show up as well as I’d like.  My mother of course will like it, and my wife too if she ever happens out into the garden before May, but I on the other hand say “meh.”  Hopefully our children will not inherit their taste from me but will instead be the perfect blend of well rounded, refined, garden loving young adults.  Optimism is one of the highlights of spring.

iris Katherine hodgkin

Iris “Katherine Hodgkin”.  Makes me think of dirty snakes.  I bet it’s virused too, I can see darker blue streaks in the blooms on the left and believe this is a sign…. 

A couple more warm days and all the early bulbs will be blooming.  Crocus are a favorite and along the warm south side of the house the first of the plump and bright dutch hybrids are opening.  I wish they lasted longer, but nothing lasts forever and when spring turns warm and sunny I always make a point of getting out to see them.

first dutch crocus blooms

Dutch crocus just starting to bloom in the warmest parts of the garden. The bees will be happy, the bunnies too.

Yesterday was beautiful, today not so much.  I want to get out there and clean up but don’t want the neighbors judging me for gardening in the cold, gray drizzle.  Looking at the forecast, Easter Sunday is supposed to be the most promising day, but Godless and crazy is probably a worse label than just plain old crazy so maybe I’ll try and get a few things cut back and cleaned up before then.   Fortunately I was out there last weekend for a start (the backyard snow melted briefly before the latest batch came down, so I rushed out to do some raking and trimming!)

vegetable beds ready for spring

The vegetable beds cleaned, straightened up, and ready to go. I even went over the lawn with the mower to give it a springtime “vacuum” of twigs and other debris.

It’s going to be a lazy cleanup this year, I can feel it already.  Electric hedge trimmer to cut everything back, mower to go over it once to chop, mower bag emptied on the beds to cover up all the leaves and bits which I didn’t bother raking out.  Done.  I need more time to transplant and divide, and gift plants with shovelfuls of compost.  Plus the mulched debris will keep down many of the self sowers, and I think last year’s “riot” of volunteers was a little messier than I want this year.  Always have to keep things changing!

Best springtime and Easter wishes to all, enjoy the weekend!

The crocus meadow

Calling it a crocus meadow might be overselling things a bit, but I like to think of my little plantings last fall as the start of something bigger…. even though right now its main function seems to be rabbit buffet.naturalized crocus

Of course a green background of lush grass would make a nicer setting than the current dried tan, but even this little burst of early spring color is most welcome at a time when everything else is still on the sidelines, waiting for the weather to make up its mind.

naturalized crocus

The meadow wasn’t much of an investment.  All the bulbs were purchased for around $30 with shipping from Van Engelen during their post-Thanksgiving clearance sale (an awesome sale btw).  I chose the species grand collection which included (50) Blue Pearl, (50)Cream Beauty, (50)Goldilocks, (50)Purity and (50)Ruby Giant.  A pack of 100 Crocus tommasinianus also ended up in the shopping cart.   I got some great clearance prices but even pre-sale they still would have been a good deal.  You just have to be able to meet their minimum order since they are a bulk seller.

Cold weather and 350 small bulbs in need of planting doesn’t sound like a good combination but I tried a new (to me) planting method.  Someone on the bulbs forum on Gardenweb suggested using a masonary hammer for planting and I figured I’d give it a shot.  Using the sharp end you swing it into the ground, pull back, drop in a bulb or two, hit the hole closed with the hammer end and you’re done.  Repeat 300 times.  It only took me a couple minutes and only cost me one blister on my hammer hand.  I like the results!naturalized crocus

naturalized crocusAn early Easter and late spring worked out perfect for hiding eggs among the flowers.  I don’t know if the kids were impressed but I thought it worked out nicely.

One problem has been the rabbits, they love the fresh crocus blooms and every now and then mow down part of the display.  Oh well, as long as the crocus live to bloom another day.  Another crocus bloom killer is the little girl who lives here and her playmates.  Once the fun of the egg hunts ended the kids spent a good hour making bouquets and delivering them to the neighbors.  How could I say no to that?

I didn’t plant any of the big purple and blue hybrid crocus, I was trying for a species look and I suppose I got that.  For now they’re out, but I’ve seen lawns with the bigger types naturalized and they do look great.

I did sneak in a couple spare snowdrops.

naturalized crocus

naturalized crocusI plan on adding  other bulbs this fall.  Maybe a few of the early (short) daffodils, possibly a few alliums that will bloom amongst the uncut grass, maybe a couple other things.  Right now the only bulb on the definitely transplant list is this scilla mischtschenkoana (trust me I googled that spelling).  It’s another early bloomer that I hope will do well in the grass.