Colchicums, two out of three

I’ve got three different colchicums in the garden – or I had. This year the one in my front garden has failed to appear and I can’t find the marker either. I did find a note to myself in last year’s garden notes which said “Move colchicum in front garden”. Did I move it, if I did where is it? If I didn’t move it why hasn’t it shown? Damn – my record system fails again. I’m a control freak when it comes to marking plants and recording where they are. This sort of thing drives me nuts.

Anyway at least the other two have appeared. This one I’ve had for many years and I don’t know its name. It refused to flower for ten (yes ten) years! I eventually moved it and three years later it produced a flower. Last year there were five flowers in total so it’s gradually increasing.

Colchicum

The other one is Colchicum autumnale ‘Pleniflorum’. It has large double pink flowers so it’s very prone to damage from heavy rain (and cats taking a nap). This year there are lots of flowers and it’s doing very well. As usual most of the flowers were prostrate, for whatever reason, so I propped them up with a brick. Next year I’ll have to find something more attractive to do the job.

Colchicum autumnale 'Pleniflorum'

I’ve been around the garden again and there’s still no sign of Colchicum number three (‘Lilac Wonder’). It’s possible that some leaves may still appear as Colchicums flower before the foliage shows. I’ll keep an eye out.  There is also a chance it will pop up next year. Fingers crossed.