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Planting Autumn Crocus (Colchicum)

I don't believe I have ever grown autumn crocus ( colchicum - I love to say that word) -  although we did inherit one when we moved into this house. I moved it, and apparently it did not like that because I never saw it again. I have always wanted to grow it, but I always think about it at the wrong time of year. Plus, I never see it at nurseries (not even at Yard N' Garden Land). When a friend offered me some, I said YES. She gave me one special one called "Waterlily" and several that I guess we would call the  "average one".  'Waterlily' The question then was where on earth would I would plant them. I read that they are nice in grassy areas so I then decided to plant them along the grassy pathway in front. (This pathway is about to become a gravel pathway as I am refusing to water it daily. Michael wins this battle and gets to do the "told you so" dance .) I decided to tuck the primo one at the corner of the path next to this pot. Diggin...

Camellia love

A few weeks ago, temperatures plunged to the 20 degree mark and turned our camellia and magnolia blossoms into shriveled brown tissue. For the camellias, more buds opened and they bounced back nicely.

Taylor's Perfection is one of my all-time favorites. It is a profuse bloomer and is just now getting ready to explode with blooms.
Magnoliaflora - a delicate pink beauty.
An unknown variety. The label said "Mrs. Charles Cobb" but every image search I've ever conducted shows a decidedly red flower. I think this is something different.
C.M. Wilson, the oldest camellia in our garden, started sporting red blooms a few years ago and I've not bothered to cut them out.
 

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. Phillip,

    Wow on that Magnoliaflora, to me it looks like a slight peachy white not pink.

    Hate your new word verification...

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  2. Taylor's Perfection is beautiful.

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  3. I think it is facinating how the last camellia has multi colors. The bees must have been busy around this shrub.

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  4. Similar story here with our camellias. Just a minor set back to what has been a beautiful season.

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  5. We have similar tastes, it seems. Absolutely love Taylor's Perfection! I have "Mrs. Charles Cobb" in Atlanta, and it is also much more like yours, and decidedly not red. (And she's living in Cobb County, so I figure that has to account for something!)

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  6. My star magnolia's have started blooming again, thought the frost had gotten them. Daffodils going wild.

    Mary

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  7. Seeing your camellias I am sorry I only have one! I have another question. When is the master gardener's plant sale this yr?

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  8. Hi Philip... I'm so sorry to hear what happened with the magnolias but your camellias are spectacular. I'm curious as to whether your magnolias were earlier than normal this year. This is a huge concern for me this mild winter, but so far we are mostly below freezing at night and daytime temps in mid to high 30's so the ground really hasn't thawed out as of yet... it could end up being a touchy situation... Larry

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  9. I just bought a Taylors Perfection today. By chance. It really looks like a rose.

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  10. I just love camellias! My neighborhood here in Atlanta is filled with them. My power walks have turned into garden strolls since I stop so often to admire.

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  11. So Beautiful to see, Phillip!

    gerri XXX

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  12. Randy, I agree, it is more peachy. I don't have word verification turned on so I'm not sure what is going on with that.

    Larry, yes the magnolias were early! So far, everything is early. We are having very mild temperatures this winter. It worries me too.

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