The colors of Colchicum flowers

Jim McKenney jamesamckenney@verizon.net
Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:04:36 PST


It isn't easy for me to describe the colors of colchicums, and I've found that printed descriptions and catalog illustrations are frequently misleading. Even carefully done photographs can be misleading, at least in the sense that the apparent color of a colchicum flower depends on the light conditions. To my eyes few of them are to be seen at their best at mid-day in full sunlight. But as Bowles pointed out long ago, seen in the low sunlight of late afternoon they can be wonderful indeed.

If you garden allows it, be sure to plant them where they can be viewed late in the day suffused with and their colors warmed by the beguiling rays of magic hour.  

Jim McKenney



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