First Crocus Bursts into Bloom!
Just before noon, I headed out into the garden to see what might be emerging now that the snow is finally receding. I wasn’t expecting to see much besides the ever-present weeds (why does everything else die to the ground over the winter but the weeds manage to stay green and vigorous under the snow??). I noticed a few crocus leaves here and there, lots of grape hyacinths poking above the soil, and some of the early daffodils reaching toward the sun. Mostly, I saw dead leaves that need to be raked out of the flower beds, branches littering the ground (mostly from the red maples – beautiful in fall but horrible trees for a garden as they drop branches continuously and their roots strangle everything you plant), and ornamental grasses that need to be cut back. And then I saw something glistening by my feet – something white that definitely wasn’t snow. It was a crocus in full bloom!! Last year the first snow crocus (a yellow one) bloomed on March 1st. This is the earliest a crocus has bloomed here in my Zone 6 garden. It made my day! Can you see it in the photo on the left?
i saw my first crocus today too!!! right outside the front door – but it had not opened fully
Isn’t it exciting??! Is yours early too? Somehow, that first bloom, no matter how early or how lonely it is, makes me feel that spring is finally and truly on the way. Of course, last year we had 8″ of snow the day after the first crocus bloomed and this year they’re forecasting snow to start at midnight and continue for the next day and half…
Hurrah for a bloom in zone 6 in February!! and again I say, Hurrah! Before all our snow, my crocus foliage was about 1″ high – but that was weeks ago. Who knows what’s happening under that thick white blanket? Maybe they’re all blooming??!?!?! Thanks for sharing – very encouraging! Love you “about” page by the way – down to earth and honest, the way a gardener should be.
I wonder if crocuses can actually bloom under snow? Does anyone out there know? Maybe you could dig through the snow to find out
And thanks for the comment on my ‘About’ page – glad to know someone’s actually read it!
Aww! I had my first crocuses last Friday! Mine were yellow~! Maybe there’s hope for spring yet!
Lucky you! Yellow always seems to me to be the most ‘spring-like’ of the crocus colors – like a little ray of sunshine right there in the garden. Sounds like spring has already sprung for you!
Aah, that first flower in bloom. It is extraordinary isn’t it? I’m so glad you found something besides weeds. Weeds are vigorous plants, but they surprise me with their insistence to keep growing and not die. It’s almost spring, and I can hardly wait.~~Dee
Maybe we just have it all backwards and we should be growing ‘weeds’ instead? At least we could be certain they’d survive anything that came their way!
How heartening is the first crocus! Mine were sprouting last time I saw the surface of the bed, which was about a month ago. I doubt they’ve made any progress since, they don’t bloom in the snow the way snowdrops do.
I was wondering whether or not crocus would bloom in the snow – or at least surrounded by snow. That would look beautiful – gorgeous purple and yellow blooms in a bed of fluffy white snow. But I guess not…
You’re just breakin’ my heart. It will be while before any crocii make it through 20 inches of snow!
Snow seems so beautiful in December but by the time we get to the end of February it has pretty much lost it’s appeal… Hope your 20″ melt quickly!