Rimmer de Vries - posted 7 Feb 2012
Crocus_biflorus_isauricus in bloom: 2012/2/6 Crocus_biflorus_isauricus in bloom: 2012/2/6.
Grown from Archibald seed sewn Jan 24, 2008.

Rimmer de Vries - posted 31 Jan 2012
Fred Case in his garden during a public visit: 2008/5/10 Fred Case in his garden during a public visit. 2008/5/10
Yep that is a rock!; Fred Case and friends “Yep that is a rock!” Fred Case with Tony Reznicek, Jacques Thompson, Brian Winchell, Dick Punnet. 2008/5/10
Don with a trowel; Fred Case “Don with a trowel.” Fred Case going to his woods. 2008/5/10

Rimmer and Susann de Vries - posted 22 Jan 2012
In RHS Lilies and Related Plants [big PDF of issue] Two articles of interest:
My experience with Lilium fargesii, Rimmer de Vries, pp. 43—66
Spousal acceptance factor: living with a lily enthusiast, Susann de Vries, pp. 65—66

Tony Reznicek - posted 27 Oct 2011
Galanthus reginae-olgae: Tony Reznicek

23 Oct 2011: An oddity — a fall blooming snowdrop, Galanthus reginae-olgae. I've tried fall blooming snowdrops before, sporadically, but with dismal success — they mostly tried to bloom in late November, which is hopeless — plus the leaves also came out in the fall, which is disastrous with winter coming. But this early blooming (relatively speaking) variant, originally from Janis Ruksans, consistently opens before hard frosts, and the leaves do not develop until spring, so they are not destroyed by our winters. Of course, it's not like spring, where, in late February to mid-March, the snowdrops are the only game in town. Even in late October there is so much color and competition from other plants that I put this right by the doorstep, where I can see it every day. I'm working on building up a clump!

Rimmer de Vries - posted 23 Oct. 2011
Iris acutiloba; Rimmer de Vries

May 2011: A fine example of Iris acutiloba in bloom this spring. [See also SIGNA's I. acutiloba entry

I got the plant from Harvey Wrightman in Augst 2007. Harvey said it was from Janis Ruksans. It is planted in full sun in sand in a raised bed supported by a large rock — high and dry; in the summer it should be covered with a pane of glass to keep the mid western monsoons off but I never have done this, rather foolishly covering it in the winter with a pane of glass. But I now understand winter cover is not necessary.

Crocus goulimyi

Crocus goulimyi, an autumn-flowering species 22 Oct 2011

Crocus sp.

22 Oct 2011: As one can see I grew it from NARGS seed 2008 # 865. It was labelled as C. pallasii pallasii but I think it is a hybrid with matheweii to get the dark center. The photo is from today; now there are 3 flowers all different.

One should looks in the R. Leeds' book on autumn bulbs or J. Ruksans' new crocus book.

Ian Youngs of Aberdeen says “It does look like the one we know as C. matheweii - (which shows variation when raised from seed). However Crocus pallasii is a very variable species and there has been some suggestion that C. assumaniae and C. mathewii should all come under that name so it will be difficult to tell exactly what it is.“ [25 Oct 2011]