CROCUS

Words by Jessica Peace

Crocus, the jewels in the spring lawn.

NAMECHECK

Stems from the greek, ’krokos’: saffron - yes that ‘red gold’ is plucked from the little head of the crocus; ‘krokos’, coming from ‘kroke’ : ‘thread’, like the long filament (male sexual organ (!)) in the flower head which carries that sweet gold dust.

‘Crocus vernus’; ‘vernus’: spring flowering.  

BACK TO THE ROOTS

Bought here to blighty from the East in the sack of a Roman ambassador - very Mary Beard.

RATING

Easy Rider

THE DEETS

Chuck them in a sunny spot in autumn and fight off the squirrels ‘til spring.