Crocus February 2011

[arilnut]

Hi friends. Janis's book came today.   Yahooooooooooooooo.
Check the  Weather-Winter 2011 thread and you will see I should
have plenty of time to read. 

John B
Kansas  USA

[WimB]

Ibrahim,

you've shown some wonderful Crocusses.

They are all very nice but I like C. candidus 'Orangino', C. olivieri olivieri albino and C. x paulinea the most. Thanks for showing.

[WimB]

Ibrahim - super plants, superb pictures.  You are having more sunshine than we are!  I did manage to grab 10 minutes on the only fine day this week (in my 'lunch break', between taking one overtired child to school late and picking up the other one who was unwell )

These roadside hybrids originate from massive planting of common spring crocus.  There are many subtle variations.  Here are some of this weeks finest starting with one I showed earlier from a different angle and to show how large the flower is

Tony,

they are simply stunning. For me 'Roadside Bronze' and 'Roadside Gold' are the best.

[WimB]

I grow my crocuses outside in pots and my first to show this year were crocus reticulatus. Today it was sunny in Aberdeen and I rushed back from work to see if they had opened, however by the time I got home they were in the shade and didn’t look as if they had opened. I decided to take matters into my own hands and took them inside where they opened up. Below are my first of the season.

           Graeme Strachan

Graeme, such wonderful C. reticulatus!

[David Nicholson]

Gerd,
I know But as the saying goes: 'It's nice to be a 'Preiss' but it is higher to be a 'Bayer'

Armin this is a piece of German culture you must explain to us please.

David,
I will try to explain the saying in the context of the complex German history.
'Preiss' is the bavarian idiom for a Prussian, 'Bayer'= Bavarian.
Historical, both german tribes had always/many times rivalities/were even enemies.
Those rivalities go back to 1871 (and before) when the 'Second German Reich' was founded and lead by the prussian chancellor Otto von Bismarck. At that time Bavaria was prout of being a Kingdom but the imperial Germany was dominated by the Prussians.

The saying is simple that it is fine to origine from Prussians (northern Germany) but it is something special to be a Bavarian (South Germany).
Such rivalities continue to live in silly jingles until today

For those interested in the serious historical details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Empire

Many thanks Armin, I understand and shall read more.

So, I am the English equivalent of a born Prussian living in Bavaria

[ian mcenery]

Ibrahim a lovely selection thanks for sharing. I liked the biflorus variants

[Armin]

So, I am the English equivalent of a born Prussian living in Bavaria

Oh, goodness! - this job is a real challenge

[I.S.]

  I wish to post some pics also taken two day ago in my gargden.
C. fleischeri (this my best form from Civril)
C. danfordiae (yellow form this seems alittle biger than white form)
C. danfordiae (two frames for compare with finger and honey bee) as big as half size of bee!

[Michael J Campbell]

Crocus sieberi George.

[I.S.]

  Michael, this is a very nice one in color and shape!
Maybe the best one!

[I.S.]

  Here are a couple of my crewii selections.
The first one is speckled form top view
The second one is my special find, While all the crewii forms on wild are speckled and striped this one has quite dark brownish violet outer petals with creamy white edge. I found this last year amoung a crewii location by walking severel hours, only in one metr square severel samples!. They might be also some stable mutation first I must grow this one from seed also than to see what it will give me!
I don't know what to call maybe 'Hot Chocolate' or 'Turkish Coffee'

[art600]

Ibrahim

I hope you have lots more to show us.

I have not been very successful, so far, with crewei and now you show this outstanding form.

[TheOnionMan]

Here are a couple of my crewii selections.
The second one is my special find, While all the crewii forms on wild are speckled and striped this one has quite dark brownish violet outer petals with creamy white edge. I found this last year amoung a crewii location by walking severel hours, only in one metr square severel samples!. They might be also some stable mutation first I must grow this one from seed also than to see what it will give me!
I don't know what to call maybe 'Hot Chocolate' or 'Turkis Coffee'

Ibrahim, oh my! 
Absolutely love "Hot Chocolate" (Maggi should like this one too), exquisite coloration highlighted with black anthers

[WimB]

Michael,

that 'George' is very nice.

Ibrahim,

I like the small C. danfordiae (it looks so very precious)
And your C. crewii 'Hot Chocolate' (I vote for that name ) is just stunning.

[Armin]

I grow my crocuses outside in pots and my first to show this year were crocus reticulatus. Today it was sunny in Aberdeen and I rushed back from work to see if they had opened, however by the time I got home they were in the shade and didn’t look as if they had opened. I decided to take matters into my own hands and took them inside where they opened up. Below are my first of the season.
Graeme Strachan

Graeme,
very nice form and a pot ful. I would be happy mine in the garden would bulk up and flower one day like yours!