Autumn crocus/colchicum

I would love some of these, but, despite looking out for them, I hhave never seen any for sale. What time of year should the bulbs be planted, and have you seen them for sale?

 

Colchicum autumnale should be planted in there dormant season which is summer or early autumn. I personally have never seen them for sale but the RHS seems to have a fair few nursery's listed some of which must have a mail order service:thumb:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/plantfinder2.asp?crit=colchicum&Genus=Colchicum

 

Almost every garden outlet has some from September onwards. If you want some of the less common ones then you have to go to a specialist bulb seller, but autumnale and its various forms are produced by the million every year. Confess that we often wait until they have flowered in the packets and are much reduced in price before buying. they are one of the few bulbs which will survive that and as long as they are planted pretty soon afterwards, they grow away and flower again the following year.

 

DB I have lilac Autumn Crocus that blooms late Sept onwards in my garden got from my MIL garden many years ago.


When I am ready to split again happy to send you some. Sadly dont know the name of them as they were growing wild in mil garden.

 

When we were up in the Lake District last September we visited the local large nursery to try and find some more to add to ours and they didn't even know what we were talking aboutWe had to explain to them exactly what they were and then the penny dropped.We were told it was the wrong time of the year for them:cnfs: so gave up in the end.

We have the single pink ones,have tried the white and the double ones{Waterperry?} but both of those fizzled out.Our single pink ones have already flowered before Christmas and we now have the leaves showing.

 

I find this very puzzling. We have never had any trouble buying the normal kinds from various Garden Centres. We increased our stock of Waterlily, giganteum and album last year from a Wyvale outlet.
If you want special ones then you do have to go to a specialist dealer. Try Pottertons.
If you want them in flower then go to an Alpine Garden Society Autumn show or a Scottish Rock show if you live up there.