July 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Maggi Young]

 

[Jupiter]

Fermi you have a wonderful collection of daffodils. I love the ex 'Julia Jane'! Impressive. Your Anemone coronaria is lovely too. I have sown seed from MH, so have some waiting to do before I can enjoy them in person.

Jacqui your S. Arnott looks SO good. When Otto told me it was his favourite snowdrop I didn't really comprehend why, but I see it now. Such perfectly formed, rounded outer petals. Mine are starting too.

[Parsla]

I've been lucky enough to see Fermi's garden and he really does have a huge collection of exquisite narcissus planted out in the rock garden. Absolutely lovely.

Ours are a little behind it seems, most only just starting to bud.

[Parsla]

Hi Jamus,

I also think Mr Arnott's famous seedling is outstandingly beautiful. The flower is of understated elegance, neither large and ostentatious nor diminutive, and at night forms pearl drops large enough to view from my window through the darkness. More than that, the leaves are neat and well formed with the flowers rising well above them.

The photo is of crocus minimus.

[Lesley Cox]

This is not Crocus minimus,but perhaps one of the many forms of C. biflorus or its hybrids. C minimus tends to be quite consistent both in ground colour, more red/purple than this blue, and in outer markings which are feathered dark purple on the lighter shade. The exceptions are C.minimus albus (pure white) and the form 'Bavella' which has an almost solid purple outer petal. I also have a solid purple form which is not 'Bavella' as it appeared as a seedling in my "ordinary" patch, before 'Bavella' was ever mentioned. I also have 'Bavella' from Marcus Harvey and its inner colour is even closer to red, true magenta actually.

[Parsla]

You are perfectly right Leslie, my error.
I just checked the label which says crocus biflorus atrospermum (although I can't find a ref to atrospermum on line so may be my mislabel)
Your dark outer petalled is marvellous.

[Jupiter]

Lesley your Crocus minimus looks a dead ringer for the one I bought commercially as Crocus "Springtime", so I'm pretty sure it's a minimus. I will try to post pictures but the flowers are in the shade now and all wet from the showers this afternoon. I'll give it a shot anyway.

[Jupiter]

What do you think Lesley? I know the flower is mangled and the photo isn't great, but you can see the colours and the details.

[Jupiter]

The kids were watching a movie so I dissected the little crocus flower.

[Lesley Cox]

Jacqui, I have one from Marcus as C. biflorus ssp (or var?) astrospermus. It was that one, not out yet so rather from memory, that made me suggest a biflorus form. The colouring is strong and clean and is one of my favourites.

Jamus, I haven't looked at the style etc but yes, I'm still sure it is minimus.