I need some cheap thrills for my autumn garden. Usually I think about this too late—in mid September at the earliest. This year, however, I am determined to get a jump on the season and the thrills.
The kind of thrills I am looking for come from autumn flowering crocus and colchicum. These plants bear flowers similar in appearance to spring flowering crocus species. The only difference is that they bloom any time from September through November, depending on species and variety. Leaves and flowers never appear together, with the foliage making an appearance in spring, when there are other things to look at.
Colchicum are generally more thrilling and showy than fall crocus, but they are also more expensive. After considering various colchicum options, I have chosen Colchicum bornmuelleri. Unlike some other colchicum, it is fragrant, something often lacking in fall. It also features large pinkish purple flowers that can be four to five inches across under optimal conditions. Each bulb bears multiple blooms, which is a good thing, because at nearly six dollars apiece, I can only afford a few.
To compensate for the relatively small number of Colchicum bornmuelleri, I will go all out for Crocus speciosus, with blue-purple petals and prominent golden-orange stamens. These are much cheaper and will add considerably to the autumn show in front of the privet hedge.
The colchicum have the added attraction of being unpalatable (poisonous) to deer and other creatures. This is especially pleasing since Mr. Antlers and his two-member posse have been savaging the hostas from time to time this summer.
Get a few cheap thrills of your own by ordering autumn crocus and colchicum from Brent & Becky’s Bulbs, http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com