Crocus vernus Vanguard

Crocus vernus 'Vanguard' bears large flowers of an unusual and very soft hue. The inside of the corolla is delicately mauve-blue, while the back of the petals seems silver and shiny. It blooms in early spring, bridging the gap between the flowering of botanical crocuses and that of large Dutch hybrids. Easy to grow, it naturalises easily in well-drained, even poor soil.

'Vanguard' is a variety derived from Crocus vernus, the spring crocus, a perennial plant with a corm from the Iridaceae family. Like many horticultural hybrids with spring flowering, this variety produces large flowers. The species itself is native to central and eastern Europe and, as such, is extremely hardy. 'Vanguard' forms a clump of dark green linear leaves with a white median, from which solitary flowers emerge in February-March, born from a whitish spathe, about 10cm (4in) tall. The combination of blue-mauve and silver-grey on each corolla gives the flower a striped appearance. The flowers close at night and in bad weather, opening in the sun to reveal bright orange stamens.

Crocuses are undisputed stars of the garden, as they are the first heralds of spring. 'Vanguard' is a delicate variety that takes over from the flowering of Crocus chrysanthus, for example. When planted in large groups, it forms magnificent blankets of colour in lawns and brightens up rockeries. It also grows very well in pots or containers, to brighten up patios. Crocuses prefer to stay in place where they naturalise easily and expand year after year. Do not remove the leaves before they have yellowed and withered. The leaves help the bulb to replenish its reserves after flowering.

There are also autumn-flowering crocuses, such as saffron or colchicums, which are just as charming and easy to grow.