The autumn crocus are in full swing in Australia. Living on the Adelaide plains I'm still trying to find species which will naturalise in the garden, and flower without winter chill.
I've found that the autumnal varieties from sea level in southern Europe do the best.
I usually grow from seed and then try some in the garden.
C goulimyi is the best adapted to date. I have two groups of bulbs which have now been repeat flowering in the garden for more than three years. The second group of goulimyi blooms are about 16 or 18 cms tall and fight their way through the violets.
C goulimyi Mani White has been the most successful and is just coming into flower now. It tends to flower later than the mauve bulbs. Seedlings from Mani White seem to be coming true so far, with only whites amongst the seedlings (the mauve ones are some distance from the Mani Whites).
A pot of C. tournfortii seedlings, shows amazing colour variation. One that has already gone over was a deep amethyst purple so the seeds (from Marcus Harvey) have covered the full range. Next year a few will go in the garden.
Apologies for the unsightly wire over the pots.. they are open grown and without the wire protection blackbirds (feral here) dig the pots out.
Anita
