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The colchicums (autumn crocuses) that I’m familiar with are those that are pink with a white throat. I’ve seen them here and there in other gardens and even tried growing them here. They’re not uncommon. But these white colchicums are something that I haven’t seen before.
These are part of the large collection of Colchicum autumnale growing in Fullers Mill Garden. (I posted photos of a pink and white variety that grows there a couple of weeks ago. You can see them here.)
Whilst the pink and white ones are very pretty, there’s a startling purity to these white flowers that feels unusual when surrounded by the glowing reds, oranges and yellows of many autumn flowers. The white, especially when combined with nearby green, gives a freshness and a feeling of cool and calm that is especially welcome after the blaze of summer heat.
Colchicum autumnale is sometimes called ‘meadow saffron’, but the whole plant is highly toxic and should not be mistaken for the source of the spice saffron. (Saffron actually comes from the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus, an entirely unrelated plant. Somewhat confusingly, this crocus also blooms in autumn.) It may be best to stick with calling these flowers either the commonly used ‘autumn crocuses’, or perhaps the more amusing ‘naked ladies’ (so-called because the flowers appear long before the leaves). It might get a few startled looks if you’re able to tell folk that your garden is full of naked ladies…
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 
Your macros are sharp with great details, Ann!
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Thank you Indira! Trying to stay steady while photographing these was a bit of a strain on the knees! (But I was lucky that these were short enough not to be caught by the slight breeze.)
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I do love white flowers, and agree that these complement bolder autumn colors very well. It’s interesting that these also are called naked ladies. The plants that bear that name here include a variety of lilies. Last weekend, I came across some of the red ones shown at the bottom of the linked page, and intended to photograph them, but forgot. That’s what happens when there are so many delights still in bloom!
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Amaryllis belladonna has the common names Jersey lily and naked ladies here…seems there are many naked ladies for gardeners to choose from! The red Lycoris radiata looks amazing, so I hope you get another opportunity to photograph them.
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I love the whiteness of these flowers and you have captured them beautifully. I don’t think I have ever seen white colchicums.
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Thank you Jude! I can’t remember seeing these anywhere else, but it’s a while since I’ve been to any other really big gardens (looking after our our elderly and very frail cat means it’s not a good time to go away from home). Maybe I’ll see them in other gardens in future…
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Now you’ll have to post a picture of some actual naked ladies in nature so we can see the difference and not be fooled by the name.
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Hmm, that might cause problems – although the only other ‘naked ladies’ I’m likely to come across is another plant, Amaryllis belladonna (AKA Jersey lily or belladonna lily). Like the autumn crocuses, the flowers appear without any leaves. (They appear later.) 🙂
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“Belladonna” means ‘beautiful lady.’ The subject seems inescapable.
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