Crocus chrysanthus 'Blue Pearl'

This year, the first flowers in our garden are these snow crocuses (crocus du printemps), strategically planted up against the foundation on the south side of the house. Their cousins, Crocus chrysanthus 'Romance', aren't even in bud yet, probably because they are about 50 cm away from the foundation. Kathy Purdy at Cold Climate Gardening has a smart suggestion: keep records of where the snow melts first in your garden, so next fall you know where to plant these early-blooming bulbs.

Crocus chrysanthus corms

Crocus chrysanthus, known in English as "snow crocus" and in French as crocus de printemps, are bulbous perennials native to Eurasia. A variety of cultivars are available, in colours ranging from white (e.g. 'Snow Bunting', pale lavender blue (e.g. 'Blue Pearl', and pale yellow (e.g. 'Romance') to dark purple (e.g. 'Lady Killer') and bronze ('Zwanenburg Bronze').

Of course at this stage they all look pretty much the same. The top photo shows 'Romance' (light yellow blooms) and the bottom photo shows 'Blue Pearl' (very pale blue).

More beautiful crocuses

It's a beautiful sunny day today (8°!) and the neighbours' crocuses are out in all their glory. These mauve crocuses are my favourites, closely followed by the pale yellow.

Yet another crocus

I debated whether I really needed to post a third crocus in one week, but this one was thoughtfully growing near the sidewalk so I could get a proper close-up. Click the photo to see full size! I love the way digital photography lets me see details of plants that I couldn't see with the naked eye.

More crocuses!

Today I saw more crocuses had come up down the street! I love the contrast of the purple and the vivid orange stamens and stigma.

Crocus flower!

Crocus is a genus of flowering corms native to Eurasia and north Africa. Most of them bloom in the early spring, in yellow, white, mauve, or purple.

Yesterday, after posting that nothing was in bloom in my area except for those snowdrops I've posted about three times already, I discovered this lovely little crocus blooming just down the street from me! (Sorry the picture is so small; I didn't want to trespass on someone else's garden so I had to photograph from a distance and use the zoom lens.)

Although I am very happy to see the crocuses are coming up, I'm also a bit sad because last year I'm sure my winter aconite was blooming before the crocuses, and I don't see it coming up. I'm afraid I may have killed it. Drat.