We have come suddenly to those early spring days when I need more than ten fingers to count the crocuses in bloom, but it is too cold to take off my shoes to further aid my efforts to keep track of all of them.
So can we say countless crocuses now? Well, not quite yet. That would be more of an exaggeration than saying “we have come suddenly to those early spring days”.
I think it is good enough, and accurate enough, to say that there are more crocuses today than yesterday, and there will be even more tomorrow.
(That is if they don’t drown in the rain we are predicted to get this weekend, but I digress).
Crocuses are members of the Iris family, Iridiceae, and the “bulb” we plant for them in the fall is technically called a corm. If you say “crocus bulb” you can always count on someone correcting you, so have a response ready for that when the time comes. But make it a polite response. Always take the high road and assume the corrector was only trying to be helpful and was not a haughtyculturist.
(You remember that a haughtyculturist is nothing more than an uppity gardener, but I digress, again.)
If you are not currently counting crocuses, and it is simply due to you not planting them in your garden, and is not due to the fact that you live in a climate where they won’t grow or you you planted them but live in a climate where it is too soon for them to bloom, then go right now to your calendar, flip it to July and write down “order crocus corms”. Then flip your calendar over to about Halloween or maybe a bit after, and write down “plant crocus corms”.
(While we wait for you to do that… for those who live where it is still too cold and snowy for crocuses to bloom, “bless your gardening heart”. Hang in there, spring is coming. We will send at least early spring your way just as soon as we’ve had a chance to enjoy it a few more weeks.)
So now that crocuses are beginning to become “countless” in my garden, I’m looking out for another iris to bloom… little Iris reticulata.
I can hardly wait to get to the point where they are countless in my garden, too.
or you live in a climate like me and they have already bloomed. So happy that you are now seeing signs of spring. Here's hoping that you will soon be able to use your toes for counting.
Dear Carol, how about an abacus? I love the calender reminders, good advice for us all. Everyone needs some, or more as the case may be. Welcome spring! 🙂
Frances
I can't wait for mine to start. I planted some. Unfortunately I think it was in the wrong spot as it was next to my front side walk which is where all the sidewalk and roof snow landed….so there for 3ft of snow still cover crocus and roses.
The little green shoots are up, but no blooms yet 🙁 HOWEVER, I have daffodils and forsythis blooming INSIDE 🙂 …so that helps…:)
early spring here is March 20th…so we are waiting buried under snow…
Mine are blooming too but I will write those dates down so I can order more…I would love to really have countless!
My crocuses have seemed to pop up everywhere this week. I sure hope spring is almost here. I can't wait for the tulips and narcissus to bloom as well.
Carol you are so funny. I can just see you trying to count those crocus with your shoes on. tee hee. Good idea to put on the calendar to plant crocus and those sweet little irises.
I am a ways north of you yet, but if yours are blooming, then mine should be out in a few weeks! Very pretty.
Went outside to count the crocus. No sign yet but two hyacinths breaking the surface. That's something! Enjoy your blooms!
It's so good to see you have countless crocuses blooming, Carol! I still haven't seen a sign of any here…and I did plant some. Last year the crocuses didn't fully bloom for me until March 23, so I am still optimistic they will appear in the next few weeks.
That is a good problem to have! I am enjoying your crocuses since I have yet to plant any in my garden. I only just planted a few bulbs this past fall as a trial (I have a major mole/vole problem that eat everything). If they work out then I shall plant more. I have it marked on my calendar 🙂
My crocuses are sprouting all right, and then the rabbits are eating the green shoots as fast as they can.
I'll be happy when I can see garden dirt again. To see the flowers of which you speak I still have to stare at old blog posts and remember, but I will see the real thing soon. I hope very soon!
Hi Carol, I think crocuses are one of those flowers it is virtually impossible to have too many of. The first of mine are nearly over, the last not yet in flower, and already I have a steely determination to plant more come Autumn. Sadly, my Iris reticulata is well past its beautiful best, but I forgive it.
I think Crocus sativus might be do-able in my zone 10 garden, so will make a note in July, if that's the proper month to plant this fall-blooming crocus. Major onset of crocus envy this spring…