Crocus

wonderful shot!

That deep saffron in the centre is so striking against purple.

They look wonderful great colour ..:o))

Thank you Paul, pleased you like it :O)

I agree Waddy, amazing contrasts :O)

Thank you Mushy :O)

Was going to say same as waddy! :) Gorgeous!

thank you Karen - it is a very pretty one. It has been in here for years and years, think Sarah was a baby when I planted them - not many of these big ones left in the garden, think the slugs have devoured them over the years.

I have this one mum, it's called pickwick.

that rings a bell, thanks Karen :O)

Beautiful picture, there is so much detail on it.
:-)

thank you Wildrose, it was closed up tight all day today, we have had nothing but fog all day, very thick fog tonight again too. Not seen sunshine today and it was very very cold.

I saw that the fog was coming on the weather forecast. I hope it will be improving again soon.

Freezing and misty here today as well.

The fog went slightly today, by lunch time it had evaporated so I was able to get out in the garden and do some soil turning and edge the big border. Looks good now - I have just sent Sarah home with her Hungry Caterpillar costume. lol what does she look like, will put pictures up in a moment so you can see what your skin and blister is up to Karen.

Thanks for the welcome, Olive...or should that be David Bailey? What an absolutely jaw-dropping pic!

thank you Mouldy, glad you like it. :O)

That's a lovely photo, Olive! I have lots of Crocuses on the balcony which are just beginning to open. I prefer the smaller "species" ones myself. But I really love the contrast between the yellow centre & the purple petals - just wonderful! Mr Pickwick would have felt proud to have such a beauty named after him! :-))

thanks Balcony these have been in the ground for about 28 years. lol, don't seem to be able to buy them in the g.c. anymore here, they are all the smaller ones around here. I shall have to go on line and see what is about in the Autumn and spoil myself. lol :O)

They are available in every supermarket & any other shop that sells plants as well as in the gardening centres. In fact it is almost more difficult to find the small species ones except in one or two shops.

will have to have a look then, but not seen them here. thanks for the info. :O)

Obviously that's from September onwards! You are very unlikely to find them now!

I shall keep an eye out for them again as I would love some more of the larger varieties. Maybe try a different area too as some g.c. seem to keep the same ones year in year out. I like the stronger bolder colour of these larger varieties. After saying that I do have the smaller types in the garden - think because the borders are quite big now they seem to get lost in the vastness of the areas. Will keep a look out in August/September.

They are absolutely beautiful. I hope some of the many dozens I planted last autumn will be similar, so far I've had plain purple, cream and yellow open.
Thanks for your comment on my photos.

I managed to get a few photos of my Crocuses open today. We had a little sunshine in the morning & they really appreciate it! (Don't we all!) Yesterday was a dull, damp day with a cold wind & the flowers were closed all day.

They may continue closed for the weekend as well as we are forecast some possible snow as well as strong cold winds for another week! What happened to the refrain: "March comes in like a lion & goes out like a lamb"? This year the lion has been roaring all month it seems! Seems like he's going to go our roaring as well! :-((

Hope it soon picks up Balcony I want some sunshine in my life :O) It is beginning to get boring all these cold wet dark damp dismal days. Hopefully if it snows that will be the end of the bad weather and then we might just might get a decent summer.

It did snow here almost non-stop all day on Saturday (23rd March). My pots of Daffs & Crocuses were completely covered in snow & this morning it had frozen so I couldn't knock it off of them.

I expect that as the snow melts the plants will recover & after a few days they will look as if nothing had happened.

Hoping so Balcony, we can only hope :O)

Looking at the pots today I see the snow has melted of the plants & as I said they are back upright as if nothing had happened!