Crocus

The crocus is one of the first flowers to bloom, about the same time as the snowdrop and before the daffodils. Depending on the species and the locale, crocuses can bloom in February or March. Some varieties even bloom in autumn. As a general rule, it is what are called the species crocuses that bloom earlier than the larger, showier Dutch or hybrid crocuses. Regardless of variety, crocuses are always a welcome sight after a long, barren winter.

Crocuses are easy to grow. All they need to thrive is full sun and a well drained soil. Buy and plant corms (what the bulbs are called) in autumn. Add organic matter such as compost, or a commercial fertilizer made for bulbs, at the time of planting.  Crocuses are hardy plants that increase year after year. They are best planted in mass for a striking display. Since the corms are relatively small, they are easy to tuck into the soil around existing plants. Plant them among perennials, at the base of shrubs and trees, even in the lawn. By the time the grass is ready for its first mowing of the season, the leaves of the crocuses should have created and stored up enough energy to flower again next year.

Crocuses, like so many other plants, have traveled the world over the centuries. Originally native to the Mediterranean, North Africa and Spain, it traveled to China with the Mongols. It arrived in England in the sixteenth century and to the United States in 1740 when Peter Collinson of England sent John Bartram over twenty varieties.  Ancient artifacts have been discovered providing evidence that crocuses were cultivated even in antiquity. Pottery decorated with the image of crocuses was found in Crete which dates back to 1500 B.C. An ancient scroll from 1552 B.C. describes the medicinal uses for crocus. There is also mention of it in the Song of Solomon (4:14), where it is referred to as saffron. Saffron is one species of crocus (C. sativa) prized for the orange pollen that has been used as a seasoning and dye since ancient times. The cost is extremely expensive as you would imagine. It takes over 4000 crocus flowers to make an ounce of saffron.

Folklore regarding the crocus revolves around love. According to Homer, the marriage bed of Zeus and Hera was made out of crocuses. Ancient Greeks decorated their wedding banquets and marriage beds with crocus petals. There is a mythological story of how Crocus was turned into the flower he is by Aphrodite because of the love he spurned from the nymph Smilax. In Victorian times it was believed the crocus inspired love and so was sent between lovers. A short poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919) uses the crocus and other flowers to contrast the differences between two lovers.

“You like buttercups, dewy sweet

And crocuses, framed in snow;

I like roses, born of the heat,

And the red carnation’s glow.”

Why not give (or request) a bouquet of crocuses this Valentine’s day instead of roses?

I have very much enjoyed researching and writing about each of our twelve flowers during this past year. I hope you have enjoyed reading the articles.

Note: all images in this article are copyright free. I have obtained them from Wikimedia Commons. If you click on the image it will take you to the original site.

Monthly Garden Photos - January 2014

Here are this month's garden photos. Nothing much to see, but the sun is shining and there is no snow!!

Perennial Garden and Enclosed Garden

outside Wisteria Studio

Wetlands and Family Pond

Winter Blues

Caught in the "artic vortex" like a large part of the country, I don't want to be outside longer than I have to. Right now it is 11 degrees Fahrenheit but the sun is brightly shining! Second day in a row now, thank God. It had been snowing, cloudy and raining the past week. I was experiencing the winter blues and cabin fever. Having sunshine back has helped a lot.
 
I came across this posted on Pinterest yesterday. It is so true!!
 
I like to tell myself that winter in New England is a great time to take care of all the indoor chores and projects that get ignored during the warmer months. I just can't get as excited about that as I can about planting seeds in the spring, watering all summer and harvesting in the fall.

I am blessed to have a wonderful view outside the back windows of our house. It is therapy to watch the many birds that come to my feeders, visit the wild berries growing in the woods or that stop in for a visit to the pond.

Cicely Mary Barker's Snowdrop Fairy

The Snowdrop Fairy

http://www.flowerfairies.com/US_version/home.html

Why this post here.

Snowdrops - Galanthus nivalis

Snowdrops – Galanthus nivalis

Deep sleeps the Winter,

Cold, wet, and grey;

Surely all the world is dead;

Spring is far away.

Wait! the world shall awaken;

It is not dead, for lo,

The Fairy Maids of February

Stand in the snow!

-The Song of the Snowdrop Fairy

By Cicely Mary Baker

“So simple, so humble, yet so brave. It comes before the crocus dares. I love the snowdrop, the first of all flowers, the harbinger of spring. God’s New Year’s gift to the earth, …”

- Francis Kilvert (1840-1879), clergyman

 

Snowdrops are one of the earliest flowers of the year to bloom, so early in fact that they often get covered with snow. The botanical name, Galanthus nivalis, comes from Greek and Latin. Gala means “milk”, anthos means “flower”. Nivalis means “snowy”.  Galanthus will bloom anywhere from January to March, depending on the climate and weather conditions. In the Language of Flowers, the Snowdrop represents hope and consolation and says “Let us wait for better days!”  If these flowers are in bloom, spring can’t be too far off!

A native flower of Britain, it is the English flower emblem for January. It can be found growing wild in England in open woodlands and in hedgerows.  The plant grows three to four inches tall. The nodding white flower is made up of three inner petals which are tinged with green and three longer outer petals that open out like a ballerina’s tutu. The outer petals are also said to resemble angel’s wings with the green base of the flower serving as the head and the inner petals as the body.  The leaves of Galanthus resemble grass blades in shape and color.

Snowdrops grow best in partial shade and moist, well drained soil. They look wonderful naturalized in the lawn, at the base of trees and shrubs or in the garden. Buy bulbs in autumn and plant them two to three inches deep and two to four inches apart. Since they bloom when the weather is cold, be sure to plant them in an area that can be seen from a window or along a walkway to your house.

So long as the ground isn’t frozen, the plants can be dug up when flowers begin to bloom, put in pots and brought inside. Once the flowers fade, the plants can be tucked back into the soil.

If you do not have any snowdrops to bring inside this winter, you can try your hand at making paper flowers by following this simple tutorial found in the beautiful British magazine, LandScape.

Happy New Year!

Article written by Susan Ernst for 12 Months in View

Cicely Mary Barker, Natural Science Illustrator with a Whimsical Touch

One of the books I use as a resource when writing the Flower of the Month articles for the blog, 12 Months in View is by Cicely Mary Barker. It is called Flower Fairies: The Meaning of Flowers. It contains interesting folklore and wonderful illustrations. 

I bought several of her books when they were republished a few years back. I really admire her work.  Her botanical correctness; the beauty and detail of the "fairy" wings which are replications of butterfly, moth and bees wings; her keen observation of children and her ability to depict them; her costume design skills and her imaginative ability to combine these talents along with poetry and short fiction writing is incredible. The innocence and beauty of these gentle creations (to me, don't know her intentions) reflect the love and care our Creator took and continues to take in forming us and this world. The Flower Fairies are a delight for all ages!

I have decided to post her fairy after each Flower of the Month article article. (The year is almost done, so yes, I am doing this in reverse, sort of. More like inserting extra pages into an unbound book.) Link to them all here.

It is my hope that these images will inspire you to take a closer look at the flowers, insects and children and see the same beauty and wonder that Cicely found in them.

You can find out about Cicely and which are of her books are in print by visiting this website:

http://www.flowerfairies.com/US_version/meet_the_author.html

Spring Like Weather on the Second Day of Winter

Today the weather was cloudy with drizzle and high temperatures in the low 60s! I took the opportunity to plant a package of Muscari (Grape Hyacinths) bulbs which I bought on clearance a few weeks ago.

The package indicates that these bulbs are deer resistant but I have not found that to be the case. Many a year the flowers have been chomped off just as they were about to bloom. Therefore, I planted this new package of bulbs inside the Hortus Conclusus at the foot of a yellow floribunda rose.

While outside, I observed ants crawling along the wood frame of one of the raised beds. A gnat flew past me as I filled the bird feeders with sunflower seeds. A few moths came to the kitchen window, attracted to the light, just before dusk. It is interesting to me that these insects do not truly hibernate. They just rest until the temperature warms up, even if it is temporary.

I also got to see a Great Blue Heron fishing in the pond today. And two pairs of mallard ducks were visiting too.