Autumn Crocus

 

“Autumn leaves don't fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar.” Delia Owens

It is starting to feel like a right proper autumn with the leaves changing, the cool nights, the crickets song louder, more hurried and desperate and all through the nursery the lilac, white, yellow and red collage of the Autumn crocus in bloom now. My own personal favorites are those in the saffron group, but even the pale pink Crocus kotschyanus that is massed out by the driveway adds to the season. 

Crocus cartwhrightianus 'Marcel' looking fanstastic on a late autumn evening. The long exposure and low fstop seemed to make the throat colors pop more intensely. I actually had a review from a customer once who bought this and was disappointed with the lack of deep color in the throat they had seen in a picture online. What was it someone said once 'it's hard to see when your imagination is out of focus'

Crocus goulimyi
I may have distributed this once accidently as C. tournefortii, if the flowers close at night it's definitely C. goulimyi. 

My saffron production is coming along!

Crocus goulymi 'Mani White'
A new one for me this year thanks to Jane McGary, a beautiful cream white flowered version.

Crocus thomasii
I'm thinking about doing a saffron tasting comparing the wild types with the domestic, could be interesting to see what people find the best. 

Just a quick blog entry to show I'm still alive, although fighting hard to maintain my mental health in this trying time. I normally love the autumn and hope the season lasts as long as it can, but for some reason I find myself wishing for November and wanting a hard, killing frost to end this season so can try to survive winter and hope for a better spring. 

A decent weather maker is supposed to arrive this weekend with an inch or so of rain forecasted over the days off. I'll probably shut up the open sidewall on the greenhouse and think about bringing the bulbs in under cover. 

Mark