It's springtime and every day brings new splashes of color. Today I went over to our family "hobby farm" and I was thrilled and surprised to see that crocuses were blooming all over our gravel driveway and the surrounding fields.
Some years back my mother-in-law had planted some corms (tiny bulbs) in a flower bed around the base of the house and these have now spread on their own and they occupy patches here, there and everywhere!
You see, crocuses not only provide color in the winter but they also naturalize which means that they spread and come back year after year. Bonus!
These gorgeous perennials have spread onto our gravel driveway and they look fabulous!
Notice the striped leaves which add to their beauty!
Crocuses And Recovering From The Winter Blahs!
Just when it seems that winter will never end the crocuses seem to give us encouragement as they are some of the first flowers to "spring up". The early varieties can arrive when there is still snow or ice and are even able to push up through the snow. The flowers however stay closed tight as they seem to huddle against the cold. Not only are they being protected against the elements but they may also be saving their interior beauty until the insects can partake of the pollen.
Spectacular Beauty and Benefit of The Interior of The Crocus Flower
Once the sun starts to shine on the closed flowers the crocus opens and exhibits an interior that is even more brightly coloured than the exterior flower. The stigmas are often orange or red and make up part of a winning package of beauty and utility. The colourful display is of great attraction to pollinators as is the wonderful scent which many varieties give off. In fact, crocuses even have the ability to "lure" bees out of their hives in February or March.
The scent of some crocuses can lure bees from their hives in early spring. This photo pixabay.com
Crocuses On Grass Fields
The crocuses will even spread onto lawns and fields but if you want then to come back year after year you've got to delay cutting the grass until their foliage has enough time to mature and produce corms for future years.
Crocuses in Pots
Crocuses do very well and look wonderful in pots. Some gardeners like to cram them as tightly as possible so that they put on an "enthusiastic" display! Once they have finished flowering the pots can be left in a sunny area until the foliage has died back. Then just leave them idle until the fall when they will require some light watering in order to grow again the following spring.
Quick Facts About Crocuses
- Crocuses are from the iris family
- There are over 90 species
- They are native to woodland scrub and alpine tundra
- They can be found in Europe, North Africa, the aegean Islands, Central Asia and Western China.
- The name derives from ancient languages and means saffron
Why Not Plant Some Crocuses And Watch The Beauty Spread!
If you are not planting crocuses in your garden you are missing out on one of the delights of spring! They have the power to pull you away from a cosy indoor fire and get you outdoors!
How Would You Respond?
- Do you grow crocuses?
- What color or variety are your crocuses?
- Would you like to try and grow them?
- Do you like the fact that they spread or would you find that invasive?
I hope that you enjoyed this article about a beautiful early flower that loves to spread its joy here, there and everywhere!
Until next time,
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