Purple, Yellow and White Crocus

Well, as Crocus Explosion Week at Casa IVG draws to a close, I'll share some more shots Fernymoss took last Sunday when there was still lots of color bursting out of the ground all over.

Now, after a week of extremely windy and damp conditions (except for that glorious day yesterday), the crocus are pretty much done for this year. Their petals have been blown who knows where by the wind ... they've been pounded quite a bit by the rains that are still continuing tonight (and likely through Friday as well) ... and, well, their bloom time just isn't all that long in the larger scheme of the garden.

That doesn't mean we don't miss them (already), just that their role in the seasonal garden cycle this year is almost done. Now it's the Daffodils' turn to dazzle the stage while the Tulips progress off in their spaces ... they'll be along soon to complement the Daffodils, along with the Muscari ('Grape Hyacinths') and hyacinths. I've been trying to get some decent shots of the Chionodoxa ('Glory of the Snow'), but it was actually too bright yesterday and they got all bleached out a bit and I wasn't happy with the results. Hopefully they'll still be around on Saturday when it's supposed to be dry and sunny again, but given their rather ephemeral stay in the garden, I may have to post what I consider inferior views (hate it when that happens).

We're still apprehensive about the appearance of the 'Crown Imperial' Fritillaria, but we do think one is poking through now (the big orange one), so we still hold out hopes they'll do fine this year after being frozen and essentially banished by the cold April we had last year. The primroses, however, are really perking up and growing lushly now, and after all this recent rain, I don't think it will be long before they are blooming. They look like they're starting to spread a bit, which delights me to no end, because I can think of few things prettier than a big planting of mixed Primroses blooming! So ... stay tuned!