|
Crocuses
Small bulbs heaving out of the ground; up close saw small yellow tips; spring won't be long now!
Tiny jewels are the tiny crocuses. These little bulbs take care of themselves for many years once planted in a site to their liking. Early spring sun under deciduous trees in good, loose garden loam and the crocuses will grow and naturalize for many springs to come. Crocuses have a tendency to seed themselves; a plus when one considers little bulbs show up best when planted in mass.
In zone 5, crocuses usually bloom a week after Valentine's Day. Their purple, lavender, yellow, white… petals are such a gardener's delight to behold under a weak February sun, and they all have a golden aura in their chalice giving them an iridescent glow from within.
Crocuses' corms should be planted a couple of inches deep in the fall; throw in the hole a spoonfull of bone meal and a good watering, and they should be set for a long winter's nap.
The name crocus comes from the Chaldean word for saffron. Many of the species come from mountain regions like the Caucasus Mountains in Asia Minor making them ideal for the colder parts of our country.
They look wonderful planted under a grove of aspen trees surrounded by other little bulbs like squills, snowdrops and winter aconites. They also look great poking through a mulch of pine needles in front of majestic, old pine trees.
Crocuses corms are cheap; making buying lots of them an efficient way for an immediate effect. Some will tolerate shade but most will enjoy the sunny breath of spring away from the chilly frosts of February.
|
|
