If sheltering-in-place, social distancing, and other pandemic remedies are getting you down, look outside.  You'll likely see a smattering of those little harbingers of spring--crocuses or croci if you prefer--braving the last of the winter storms to make their perennial appearance.  

Mike Smedley, a bulb enthusiast and perennial supporter of our Durango Botanic Gardens, is excited to welcome "peak crocus" to his yard.  Mike writes that crocus are beginning to appear in his yard and now's the time to get out and appreciate this little genus of the iris family.  

At left, Crocus chrysanthus, also known as "Goldilocks," one of Mike's favorites and one of the first to bloom in early winter. In the evening, as the sun goes down, they exhibit a dark purplish-brown feathering. "The toughness of bulbs still astounds me," he adds.

This weekend, and most weekends, you'll find Mike at 3090 E. 4th Avenue maintaining vigil over his bulbs and other plants.