Changing weather patterns due to global warming make you wonder when the winter ends or whether it will end at all. But without any worries, Crocus will push through the snow, make a bright display and announce the arrival of spring.

Crocus is one of the first flowers to appear in the spring. It is heart-warming to see the colorful display that breaks the monotony of winter.

Belonging to the Iris family, crocus is a perennial grown from corms. It is closely related to Crocus sativus from which the spice saffron is collected.

Hardy to zone 3, it can be grown mostly on any soil type. As a perennial, once planted it will survive through the winter and come back again and again. With minimal care, it will multiply, spread and naturalize. So it is a good idea to divide them after few years. You can share the love of crocus with neighbours and friends.

Even though it is often seen in blue and purple colors, it comes in yellow, orange, pink and white as well.

Their fragrance will lure the bees out of their hives in early spring.

They escape deer and rabbits, but squirrels, mice and vole may feast on them.

As they are spring flowers, you have to plant them in fall, 6 to 8 weeks before the first frost. You can safely plant them when you plant garlic before the ground freezes. WIth the pointy head up, plant them around 4 inches deep.

As they only grow upto 4 inches high, plant them in front of other tall spring flowers like tulips. They are better off being planted in clusters than individual bulbs planted in rows as they put up a bright show when planted together. Space the clusters about six inches apart. Eventually they will spread and cover the area.

Water them well and let it drain, as soggy ground leads to corm rot. So, avoid planting them in areas which are waterlogged in winter.

Cover them with mulch and remove it in early spring to allow them to shoot through.

But if the severe weather returns after blooming, cover with row covers, not polythene, to allow airflow.

Mass planting them in the lawn is a good idea to make crocus carpet. But do not mow the lawn before the leaves die as they have to store energy to keep through the next winter.

Look for them in fall in garden centers. Plant them and enjoy them in springs year after year.

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