...it's that time of year again.

I hope that amongst all the angst and heartbreak the foul weather has brought all of us, this picture of a clump of croci in a rare few minutes of sunlight in a sheltered corner of my garden lifts your hearts.

As I snuggle down tonight in a warm dry house I shall not forget to count my blessings.




Doug

They look resplendent Doug .Nice to have something to look forward to eventually.   Thanks for sharing.

Nice thought Doug,what's sunlight? :cool:

Hi Doug.

I Googled croci but got no results.  Is that their real name or a Dooferism? 

They certainly are cheerie.

Hi, Max, no, not a Dooferism, like loci from locus, croci is from crocus..

"Crocus" is one of several words that can take a Latin masculine plural, even though they were originally Greek, like octopus [oktopous] becoming 'oktopi'.

I also still use the word 'wireless' for the radio-wave apparatus that I listen to, much to the amusement of my wife and daughter…

Anyway, just get back to those crossovers you are growing from seed and don't get distracted. That bit about PB rail stock in Philc's recent post was very interesting, n'est-ce-pas?

Cheers,

Doug

Aha! Crocus.  You can see that my gardening expertise is confined to the various brands of lawnmowers.  :oops:

There are certainly some lovely variants.

Yes.  Phil's post was very interesting.  I've always been under the impression that posting long, narrow parcels from the UK was a bit of a challenge.

As none of our local shops stock plain rail, I've plumped for stripping Flex Track so I get the exact profile to match.

Which reminds me, I must post an update.

Cheers

Only another 16 weeks to midsummer's day and the nights start drawing in again.



Ignore this Max, Sol et. al.

Hi Max,

Down under we have what they call 'False Crocus', (Zephyranthus candida). Very nice bulbous plant growing to about 8" high, sporting white (mostly) 5 petaled flowers on stems approximately the same height as the foliage, flowering in Spring through to Summer. Excellent border plant or individual clumping. I have used these as border plants in quite a few gardens where the boders are over 70' long. Very impressive and looks better than the typical Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus), which doesn't flower.

pics - https://www.google.com.au/search?newwindow=1&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=667&q=zephyranthus+candida&oq=zephyranthus+candida&gs_l=img.12..0i10i24.1691.1691.0.2876.1.1.0.0.0.0.211.211.2-1.1.0....0...1ac..35.img..0.1.211.UBsMHMF5tjg

Cheers, Gary.

Thanks, Gary.  I was telling Wendy about them.

Apparently we have them in our garden.  :oops:

About 5 of my roses still have blooms, albeit a bit bruised and bedraggled from the wind; spring leaf buds are also breaking as we've not had much in the way of frosts being near the coast, further inland and North has been colder. Seasons are getting all "muxed ip"!

That's a nice cheerful picture Doug :)

The only interesting thing in the garden here this morning, is a blown down fence.


Ed

Max - my gardening expertise is confined to the various brands of lawnmowers.


Gary -  That Zephyranthus is a lovely thing, seeems Max wasn't joking about his botanical fervour;-)


Bod - I hope you stub your toe today…..:roll:


Mike - I think the lack of frosts here too will be an important consideration this coming season, nothing to knock back the beasties and bugs. This year for the first time the majority of my parsnips have started to rot before I have used them

The only thing that grows in mine are weeds, millions of the blighters, even they are reluctant this weather.

[user=1235]60019Bittern[/user] wrote:

The only thing that grows in mine are weeds, millions of the blighters, even they are reluctant this weather.

If you rename them "plants", they'll be dead within a week. thumbs:thumbs

Lovely looking croci Doug. :thumbs  We've tried and tried again here but either the squirrels dig them up or the deer eat the flowers - all exept the yellow ones of which we have a few remaining.  We do however, have some daffodils about to burst into flower !!!! 

What a year eh - like you, almost no frosts but incessant rain :twisted::twisted:  We had a vaguely similar situation about 3 or 4 years years ago then, in March, winter arrived with a vengeance !!!  I hope it's not repeated this year. :roll:

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote: 

We had a vaguely similar situation about 3 or 4 years years ago then, in March, winter arrived with a vengeance !!!  I hope it's not repeated this year. :roll:

Hear,hear!

We only manage to grow them through a good layer of gravel as the 'mulots' get them otherwise. They seem to come up quite happily through3-4" of stones.

The dratted grass hasn't stopped growing, but I'd need a DUKW to mow it.

Doug

Well weather-wise we tend to follow on from what the Americans get rid of, so perhaps a lot of snow might be on its way judging by what the Yanks have at the moment. I hope not, it looks nice on Xmas cards but that's where it stops with me.

Went to the South Devon Railway yesterday and was cheered no end by the thousands of snowdrops lining the track and in the woods around the site. A few daffodils were in bud and in one or two places a couple of primroses were making a serious effort. Even saw some bees and flys knocking around so something must be in the air. back to reality today though, it's pouring again.

We have those foreign ladybirds (harlequin?) flying around already.

Spotted an orange butterfly passing the window yesterday. Is this a record?

Terry

No. It's a butterfly…! Records are usually round black vinyl things, not that common these days…

Cheers, Gary.