Crocus

Pick spring or autumn flowering type

Spring crocus — the popular garden choice, plant autumn for February–March flowers. Tommasinianus (C. tommasinianus): small, vigorous, mouse-and-squirrel-resistant, the best for lawn naturalising. Chrysanthus types (snow crocus): early (Feb), small flowers in white/yellow/blue. Dutch hybrids (C. vernus): bigger flowers (March), large goblet shape — but more squirrel-vulnerable. Autumn crocus — plant in late summer for September–October flowers. Speciosus (C. speciosus): blue-violet, large flowers, late September–October. Saffron crocus (C. sativus): purple with vivid orange-red stigmas (the spice saffron), late October–November. For a first crocus: Tommasinianus for lawn naturalising, or Chrysanthus types in pots and borders.

Plant corms in autumn (spring-flowering types)

September to November for spring crocus, before soil cools below 5°C. Plant 5–7 cm deep, 5 cm apart for natural drifts, pointed end up. In lawns: lift small squares of turf, scatter corms, replace turf — within a year you can't see the disturbance. In borders: plant in groups of 15–20 minimum for visual impact (a single crocus is invisible).

Plant autumn-flowering types in late summer

Saffron crocus and autumn crocus: plant corms in July or August for September–October flowering. Same depth (5–7 cm) and spacing. Don't confuse autumn-flowering crocus with autumn crocus (Colchicum) — different plant entirely with much larger flowers and broader strap-like leaves later in spring.

Pick a well-drained sunny position

Crocuses want full sun and sharp drainage — the chief enemy is wet-rot in waterlogged soil. Position: sunny lawns, well-drained borders, gravel gardens, rockeries. Avoid: clay that holds water, deep shade (flowers don't open in shade). For lawn use: the lawn dries out reasonably quickly after rain.

Protect against squirrels (and mice)

Squirrels dig and eat crocus corms, especially larger Dutch hybrid types. Three defences. (1) Plant squirrel-resistant species: Crocus tommasinianus is largely ignored by squirrels (the corms don't smell appealing). (2) Chicken wire over plantings: bury wire mesh 5 cm below the soil surface; flowers grow through, squirrels can't dig. (3) Plant deeper: 10 cm deep instead of 5–7 cm — squirrels rarely dig that far.

Let foliage die back naturally

Same rule as snowdrops and daffodils: don't cut, mow, or tidy crocus foliage until it dies back naturally in May. The grass-like leaves photosynthesise to fuel next year's flowers. In lawns: delay mowing the crocus area until mid-May. Skipping this kills the colony within 2–3 years.

Bee plant for late-winter pollinators

The other reason to plant crocuses: bees. Early-emerging queen bumblebees depend on crocus and other late-winter flowers for the first nectar. A patch of crocuses on a sunny February day is a constant buzz of bumblebee activity. Tommasinianus and Dutch hybrids are particularly bee-attractive. Don't deadhead or disturb during flowering — let the bees work.

Harvest saffron (if growing C. sativus)

The world's most expensive spice from your own garden. Each Crocus sativus flower contains three thread-like deep orange-red stigmas — the spice saffron. Harvest: on dry mornings just after the flowers open, pick the whole flower into a tray, then carefully pluck out the three orange stigmas from each. Dry the stigmas on paper in a warm dry place for 2–3 days. Yield: 100–200 flowers produce about 1 g of dry saffron (worth ~£10). A bed of 200 corms produces enough saffron for a year's risottos.