Autumn crocus

The autumn crocus is mis-named in the sense that it is not actually a crocus at all, but it does have a similar shape, although it is much bigger. The autumn crocus or colchicum is a member of the lily family whereas crocuses are members of the iris family. They are mostly spring flowering, but just to add to the confusion, there are autumn-flowering true crocuses too.

Autumn crocus can flower between the middle of August and the middle of October. This variation is unpredictable, which adds to the surprise when the first pale pink flowers push out of the ground. The leaves disappear during summer and the flowers appear as though from nowhere. It is a meadow plant from mountain areas of Europe and the Middle East, flowering late in the year and holding its seeds until spring.

The summers are dry and warm in those regions and the bulbs enter a dormant period in early summer. The trigger for flowering comes from the presence of moisture and a fall in soil temperatures, signalling to the time has arrived.

Although the autumn crocus comes from areas of warm summer climate, the winter conditions are much more harsh than they are here. As a result, the colchicum is completely hardy in all parts of this country. In spring, the large, broad glossy leaves feed the developing seeds and swell the bulb below ground for the summer rest period.

Being late to flower makes the autumn crocus a very valuable garden plant. Even a few clumps of the large flowers can have a dramatic effect on the garden, counteracting the end of year tiredness all round and keeping the garden going longer. The colour is a clear pink-purple and contrasts very well with the predominantly yellow and orange colours of the end of the year. A lovely double form is called 'Waterlily', which actually looks like a waterlily.

The colchicum needs an open sunny position in good, freedraining soil. It is not a woodland bulb and if it is planted in shade, or trees grow out to throw shade over it, it will eventually die out.

It can compete with moderate competition because its large leaves shade out small competition so it can be grown in light grass, but the problem of mowing arises and it is usually planted into front of a bed or border where the flowers will be most visible. The bulbs are on sale now in garden centres, sometimes with flower spikes showing, and should be planted right away.

Care for the environment: Log and twig piles

Most gardens, especially those well established, have a few logs or bits of tree branches lying around. These can be stacked in a shady, cool corner to provide living quarters for a variety of wildlife, especially over-wintering frogs. Dry piles of twigs can be ideal for hedgehogs in the dormant season. But many other creatures benefit too, such as ground beetles, which enter such places to look for slug and snails eggs. Log and twig piles are a way of tidying the garden but supporting wildlife at the same time.