Crocus

Here’s our salute to CROCUS, the true harbingers of spring!

Most gardeners agree, working crocus bulbs (actually corms) into your garden plan will add an early burst of colour when spring first arrives. They also come in a fall-blooming variety, so incorporate both. You’ll have dramatic hits of colour throughout both seasons.

One of the best features of these dinky yet robust corms is their ability to “just keep going”. Mine really thrive in this woodland cottage setting and they now multiply naturally. Every few years, I dig them up, divide the corms and then replant the crocus exactly where they were.

Here’s a great bulb supplier in CANADA. And here’s another for everyone living in the STATES.

I usually look for crocus corms at garden centres in early fall and I tend to purchase a number of different varieties based on flower size, colour and species.

When planting, I like to group crocus in same-type clusters and I often group different clumps close together. One thing for sure, make sure you always follow the planting instructions provided with the different types you purchase.

I do want to share one potential drawback – pesky varmints! A few years back I noticed that the grass-like leaves and the skin on my crocus were chewed away. I’ve since learned that chipmunks, squirrels, voles and even skunks (oh please don’t let there be a skunk living near my cottage!) find them a tasty treat. Some folks sprinkle cayenne pepper on their corms as a deterrent but I never have. I simply purchase and plant a few more, and so far, the varmints haven’t found a single one.