Crocus April

[Armin]

Thanks for all comments.

Tony, we were back to -4°C the day before yesterday night and +3°C today morning

Can't confirm a heatwave either - My region is often called 'Nizza of Bavaria' because of the mild climate.
But March 2013 average temp. was just +3.2°C. The coldest March since last 30 years.
In contrast March 2012, +9.4°C average, was the warmest March since 30 years.

This sudden, unexpected weather extremes, the extraordinary min.-max. temp. fluctuations, makes us feel climate changes...

It is interesting to observe now the survival strategies i.e. of crocus, split off in many tiny bulblets when growing under stress. I have the impression everywhere in my meadow dormant seed sudden germinate... Let's keep fingers crossed for a good growing season.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Some beautiful underrated specimen there, Armin ! 

I found this seedling in flower - it's parents must have been planted over 20 years ago 

[Thomas Huber]

Many great plants were posted since I've been here last time, thanks to all.

After one month of frost I finally found some Crocus opening in the garden, although many of them are destroyed now.
Here is an overview sight from my lawn:


Still many hybrids are coming out of the soil:




Two good hybrids that I have selected some years ago:

[Thomas Huber]

- A beautiful corner of my rockgarden with Crocus albiflorus and vernus/exiguus from Croatia, and versicolor in the foreground.
- close-up of Crocus albiflorus
- close-up of Crocus vernus/exiguus
- Crocus malyi, also from Croatia
- A detailed photo of Pulsatilla (?) just opening

[Thomas Huber]

First photo shows TRUE plants of Crocus etruscus.
The rest is the ligurian form of Crocus vernus with n=16
Both are very variable and can only be distinguished by their corm tunic:
etruscus has strong reticulated tunics
vernus has fine reticulated tunics

[Thomas Huber]

Some chrysanthus cultivars that I have lost last winter, but found a good source to re-new them:
- Jeannine, in my opinion one of the most striking cultivars
- Skyline
- Princess Beatrix
- Eyecatcher, meanwhile I found some plants flowering in a warmer part of the garden. Last year the leaves died and so I thought I've lost it, but obviously the corm survived 
- and finally Crocus x leonidii (angustifolius x reticulatus) Early Gold which didn't suffer from last years bad conditions

[Thomas Huber]

- in the last years I have sown many Crocus seeds from my garden outside my property, mostly Crocus vernus. This is the result
- Another beautiful hybrid of Crocus vernus with white tips
- Cyclamen coum this year - last year everything out of the soil was dead and like Crocus Eyecatcher I have thought I lost it, but this year they are all back.
- Same effect was with Galanthus woronowii last year - this year the flower like nothing has happened.
- and another of those boring white flowers with green tipps, but I still love them!

[Armin]

Hallo Thomas,

in spite of your sad losses you surprise us every year with your spring flowers meadow . Some nice chrysanthus hybrids.
I like your white tipped C. vernus, dark tipped C. heuffelianus (exiguus) and the C. etruscus!

But it seems Galanthus friendly taking over Crocus

[de.da.]

Hi Thomas!
Very nice ( and sharp ) photos!!!
I'm curious on my vernus meadow.
Is still snow on it ... just arround the apple tree it bloomed like crazy today!
`Firefly`blooms too.
Unfortunately I had no camera with me.

love greetings

PS:
Yesterday:

...a Cr. tommasianus (?!)

...still snow...

...nice `Tricolor`

[Armin]

Some beautiful underrated specimen there, Armin ! 

I found this seedling in flower - it's parents must have been planted over 20 years ago 

Luc,
thanks a lot. Your seedling is lovely, too.
Maybe a descendant from cv. Pallas or Pickwick with a pure white one

[pehe]

But it seems Galanthus friendly taking over Crocus

I have also trouble with that white flowering 'weed' among my crocus 

Poul

[de.da.]

...a very nice tricolored fighter...


Dani

[de.da.]

Good morning!
Today I saw this at 2 of my Cr.speciosus!!!

Dani

[annew]

Great to see your crocus lawn again, Thomas. I have ONE flower on mine!!

[Thomas Huber]

Great to see your crocus lawn again, Thomas. I have ONE flower on mine!!

A good beginning, Anne