Crocus in the garden March 2010

[Regelian]

Robin,

I think you did a pretty damn good job with that foto!  Blues are notoriously difficult, as are violet-pinks.  I find a slightly overcast day the best for almost all fotos, or at least an umbrella.

[Ragged Robin]

Thanks for your kind comment Jamie and for the tips that I'll take on board 

[Sinchets]

Some amazing clumps of Crocus, Mark. How long to reach groups that size?
Robin, I think we are at the same place- weather and vole permitting we hope to have more natural looking groups fo Crocus over the next few years. I just keeping thinking that if each corm doubles then in a few years we will be there!

[Ragged Robin]

My thoughts too Simon - does a watched crocus never bulk I wonder   

[Sinchets]

When the snow finally melts in the mountains you can give yours some time out and go and stare at the wild ones 

[Ragged Robin]

 

[tonyg]

Wonderful shots, Mark.
Do you have seeds on your kosaninii?
Mine have never set any 

I have some left over seed (OK I forgot to plant the late collected stuff in the chaos of building last summer) of Crocus kosaninii from a couple of different clones.  Some to spare if you are interested Hubi?

[TheOnionMan]

Wonderful shots, Mark.
Do you have seeds on your kosaninii?
Mine have never set any 

No 2009 seed left as I religiously take the seed, which it always sets, and scratch them in around the base plant, in the bulking up process.  Though, I'm happy to save some seed for you this year, if you need some in addition to TonyG's offer.  Looking at the kosaninii images on this forum, thay all seem to have subtle variations, so it would be good to have several clones growing.

Some amazing clumps of Crocus, Mark. How long to reach groups that size?

Depending on variety, most started out as 3-5 corms each, planted in 2003, 2004, or 2005.  Those that make lots of seed, I've been scratching in seed close to the base plant annually for the last 5 years, which is very effective for species like kosaninii, angustifolius, biflorus isauricus, malyi, etc.  You can see on my C. imperati suaveolens, where I started with 3 corms, it has only increased a little bit, and makes very little seed or none some years, thus no bulking up   Watching the bees go from flower to flower, species to species, I'm very surprised that I'm not seeing any obvious hybrids yet, besides the numerous C. chrysanthus hybrids.

(Trying to photograph light coloured crocus is a real challenge I find - any tips I wonder )

I agree, particularly with lower end cameras (like the one I use).  Photographing on overcast days or low light conditions helps.  In post-processing digital images, I typically resize and just apply a "sharpen" filter.  On light color and white flowers, where the detail washes away, you can try applying a low-grade histogram luminosity adjustment with your photo editing software, to tone down the white reflections and reveal some of the detail, then apply the sharpen filter... this can sometimes salvage an overexposed white flower.

Arnold, nice Crocus heuffelianus "Dark Eyes", I have eyes for getting that one 

JohnW - love those bulky crocus, I see we're aiming for the same sort of effect.

[Lesley Cox]

Crocuses in pots are beautiful and I guess that's where the most difficult and and least common will always stay, but aren't crocuses in the garden SOOOOO much better? I think so. It occurred to me in the Eranthis thread, that Pehe should be growing Cr. pelistericus where his E. pinnatifida was.

[Thomas Huber]

Thanks for your offer, Tony and Mark. I would really like to get some variation in my kosaninii stock with your seeds.

[johngennard]

Crocuses in pots are beautiful and I guess that's where the most difficult and and least common will always stay, but aren't crocuses in the garden SOOOOO much better? I think so. It occurred to me in the Eranthis thread, that Pehe should be growing Cr. pelistericus where his E. pinnatifida was.
[Couldn't agree with you more Lesley.What is crocus pelistericus,do you have a picture ?/quote]

[Ragged Robin]

On light color and white flowers, where the detail washes away, you can try applying a low-grade histogram luminosity adjustment with your photo editing software, to tone down the white reflections and reveal some of the detail, then apply the sharpen filter... this can sometimes salvage an overexposed white flower

Thanks for this advice McMark, I too use minimal processing with my photos and would rather take another in a different light/angle if one doesn't work out (great thing about digital is you can check them instantly)  However there is sometimes a shot worth trying to salvage and so I'll give it a go  

[WimB]

A Crocus opening up here today,

Crocus veluchensis

[Ragged Robin]

Wow, simply wonderful Wim 

[David Nicholson]

That's a cracking picture Wim, cracking little Crocus too.