Muscari ... and some relatives 2009

[Sinchets]

Lesley, if you have spares maybe you could try some outside too

[Paul T]

I've never even thought of a Muscari as being anything but outside.  Does that mean mine shouldn't have had the cold/heat outside up until now? 

Lesley,

I think mine came from Marcus originally many years ago.... but we are talking many.  Probably at least 10, if not 15 or more years ago. 

[rob krejzl]

Paul,

Mine from MH flower well outside and in the ground. You might try getting the form which Van Vogelvry offer - it seems both a little more free-flowering and to offset a little more easily.

[Lesley Cox]

They are outside Simon, but in a pot outside. I have no undercover place for anything, except a tunnel with open weave covering and I just use that for newly potted seedlings/cuttings before they go into the nursery which is also all in the open.

[Sinchets]

By 'outside' I did mean outside, as in out in the garden soil. Mine are.
In my experience of growing these bulbs, their thick fleshy roots are  better accommodated in open ground- as for Juno Irises, than in pots. I know there are areas where this may not be possible, but I thought maybe it would be possible in New Zealand or Australia. Certainly if they aren't flowering well in a pot, it might be worth a go outside in the garden.

[Janis Ruksans]

Paul, larger pot and more feed!
Here Muscari armeniacum album - during several hours our team found 3 or 4 whites between large see of blues.
Janis

[Sinchets]

It has a lovely form to it, Janis. 

[Paul T]

Thanks Janis.  I'll do that.

[Ragged Robin]

Simply gorgeous group of muscari armeniacum album, Janis, and a wonderful photo 

[Lesley Cox]

You are right Simon, the macrocarpums would certainly be better in the open ground here but if you were to see my garden....... . I had a patch of M muscarimi at one stage and it became totally overgrown by long grass and blackberry. Still trying to retrive that piece of ground, though, incredibly, Colchicum agrippinum poked a flower through recently, after about 5 or 6 years in outer darkness and oblivion.

[fermi de Sousa]

Janis,
that is a lovely white muscari! I hope Marcus will consider importing it from you if he hasn't already
Paul,
I've grown M. macrocarpum in the Rock garden and it seems to be better there than in an ordinary garden bed - better drainage I suspect and drier in the summer.
cheers
fermi

[Sinchets]

Lesley, we have an area here infested with wild raspberries- it would be greatif they bore fruit but never do so we struggle away with them. Having spent timein Australia clearing non-native weeds I know that plants seem to go crazy when moved to new countries and brambles are bad enough to begin with. Would be great if some of your native plants could do the same here 
Fermi- well done- yes drier in summer is the key, but with roots deeply into the soil and staying firm 

[Lori S.]

Muscari latifolium...yes?  Most seem to have a single broad leaf encircling the base of the stem (as per Rix and Phillips), but the odd one with the same flower appearance has 3 leaves???

[ashley]

Nice latifolium Lori. 
It looks as though it seeds around there, and obviously has no problems with your winter temperatures when protected by snow

[Sinchets]

Lori, mine have done that too in the past.