CRACKING CROCUSES!
Plan ahead to enjoy glorious purple displays in early spring
WALKING on Mount Parnassos in Greece one April was a truly memorable experience. Along the higher ridges, wild squills were pushing up their buds through the receding snow. They were Scilla bifolia or two-leaf squill, a smaller, less-known species than the popular S. siberica.
Lower down, they carpeted the slopes with deep blue flowers. Crocus sieberi bloomed among them — six-point lilac stars against the azure background. How heavenly is that?
Ever since that walk, I’ve grown S. bifolia at home. As individuals, the flowers barely earn a second glance. But when carpeting the ground, they’re charming. They seed freely, too.
Bulbs are among the most important plants for spring.
An April without daffodils or tulips is unthinkable. But never overlook the little chaps. From January snowdrops to Juneflowering Tulipa sprengeri, little bulbs pack a whopping punch.
The bulb-planting season is here and will last for months. But sought-after varieties are the first to sell out. So it’s wise to buy yours as soon as you can.
Quality is usually high but buy cautiously. Each bulb must be firm and plump, however large or tiny it is. Look especially carefully at pre-packed bulbs.
PRETTY IN POTS
SMALL crocuses are perfect for pot culture or rock gardens.
The petals of C. sieberi Tricolor have violet tops with a white middle section leading to a golden yellow throat.
An even more striking variety is C. sieberi Hubert Edelsten. Dark purple-blue tepals (outer flower parts) enclose pale violet inner ones. In similar colours, C. chrysanthus Prins Claus comes a little later.
Winter crocuses can flower in January. Among those, I cherish C. ancyrensis, a messy thing with jumbled clumps of small, vivid yellow flowers.
Little beardless irises are exquisite for February. Suitable for pots but also happy in the ground, the best known is Iris reticulata. The flowers are dark blue with yellow and dark leopard spots. The variety Pauline is purple whereas Cantab is pale blue with dark highlights.
Beautifully marked crossbreeds include dusky-blue and yellow Katharine Hodgkin and cleaner blue, striped and spotted Sheila Anne Germany.
Reticulata irises may disappear after their first year if the bulbs were not planted deep enough.
If grown in the ground, plant your bulbs with 10cm of soil above the top of the bulb.
CARPETS OF COLOUR
SNOWDROPS and aconites are winter essentials. But early crocuses make fantastic winter carpets, too.
Crocus tommasinianus flowers from February, is easy to naturalise and quick to multiply.
You hardly see the flowers in dull weather. But in sun, every flower opens to reveal violet interiors with orange stigmas.
Collectable varieties of C. tommasinianus are just as easy. I grow pink flowered Roseus, darker Barrs Purple and Pictus, whose pale petals have darker tips. Big Dutch crocuses are great, too. But I keep those apart from the little ones.
The choice of all bulbs is huge. Parkers (jparkers.co.uk) are always worth a look. For soughtafter dwarf bulbs, try specialist nurseries such as Broadleigh Bulbs or