Crocus tommasinianus ‘Whitewell Purple’ and Iris ‘Cantab’

A small purple goblet shaped crocus flower. You are looking in from above and can see some of the pollen from the yellow stamens and the orange pistil in the middle of the flower. The sun is shining on it and the purple petals have a shimmer.
Crocus tommasinianus ‘Whitewell Purple’

Now we’ve had some proper Spring weather, with warmer temperatures and sunny days, the colour is taking off. First up is my favourite crocus, C. tommasinianus ‘Whitewell Purple’.

A small purple goblet shaped crocus flower with a honey bee on the yellow stamens in the middle, collecting pollen.

In the sun it shimmers, and attracts the bees who feast on it’s bounteous pollen.

Two small blue iris flowers. They have upright lance-shaped leaves and pale-blue flowers, with the blue getting strong at the edges of the main petals. They have a yellow and white blotch leading into the ovule in the middle where insects get their pollen.
Iris ‘Cantab’

Also adding colour are the small reticulata Irises. This is Iris ‘Cantab’. The above photo was taken on a cloudy day, with that below on very sunny day, where you again get that shimmery kind of glow.

A small blue iris flower. It has pale-blue flowers, with the blue getting strong at the edges of the main petals. It has a yellow and white blotch leading into the ovule in the middle where insects get their pollen.

The word reticulata comes from the light brown netted (reticulate) tunic which encloses the bulb of this species. I can attest to noticing this when planting the bulbs, but sadly didn’t think to take a photo.

A couple of small blue irises alongside some purple crocuses. The sun is shining on the petals and they kind of shimmer.

These have been planted in my Wisteria border, and I think the purple and blues look gorgeous together.

Dozens of small purple crocuses and blue iris flowers underneath a young tree, of which you can only see the lower trunk. Amongst them are a couple of clumps of daffidols that will be flowering soon.

This is a young patch under the young Amelanchier tree, and I look forward to them spreading. Eventually, the aim is to have a mat of purples and blues in this border, flowering in early Spring.

A small blue iris alongside some slightly out of focus purple crocuses.

Oh so pretty!

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