Crocosmias bring a freshness to August, particularly in the early bud stages when the whole plant embodies something plump and juicy. Looking at them gives me a craving for nectarines. But we’ve all seen them at their worst, in overgrown, disheveled clumps, so there’s no arguing if you’ve decided to steer clear of them. I will say that growing them hard against a boundary where they can’t overspread and not mid-border has worked well for me. And some varieties like ‘Solfatare’ are much less vigorous than, say, ‘Lucifer.’
Take care, more soon, AGO
Crocosmia always take me back to our first summer here in Portland. I’d never seen them before and suddenly they were EVERYWHERE, naturally I planted a few. I’ve pared them back now to just a couple of orange blooming plants, tentatively identified as Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora.
The smoky skies are horrible, thankfully they are supposed to clear here in the next day or two. Although my heart hurts knowing that means the smoke is just returning to the eastern side of WA and OR where the poor folks are already suffering.
@DG, crocosmias are everywhere on the coast too. Not that common in LA though a relative, the montebretia is seen blooming February/March. Those scenes of Spokane neighborhoods affected by the fires, eerily similar to the LA fires too.
I learned from experience exactly how vigorous C. ‘Lucifer’ is. Pulled it all out but a handful for the hummingbirds. I grow a smaller, orange bloom variety, no ID, in a tough, mostly shady and terraced area. Their blooms lights up late summer like nothing else. The allure of Crocosmias pushed me to added a bronze-leafed montbretia, blooming right now: I’m smitten but keep a vigilant eye to contains it’s exuberance in the sunny front garden.
Your Crocosmia ‘Limpopo’ has the most exquisite bloom that’s impossible to resist.