On Sat, 15 May 2004 02:32:42 +0100, "andrewpreece"
wrote:

I have bitten the bullet and dived into the overgrown corners of my garden
and started turfing out the spanish bluebells, where I also found clumps of
Crocosmia which were very congested and hardly flowering at all. After
digging up the clumps I find that the oldest ones have 17 corms stacked one
on top of the other. Presuming these are laid down annually that's 17
summers without clumps being touched! No wonder they didn't flower well.

The books recommend no more than three years betwen dividing clumps.
I've knocked off the excess corms and replanted but I imagine that I'll not
get a display this year, it being rather late to do this kind of thing.

I had no idea! A neighbor gave me one plant several years ago and I
was entranced -- such a vivid color and delicate flowers. I was
thrilled to have a few more emerge the next year, and sad when I
accidently pulled one up weeding (the young foliage looks too much
like big grass). This year -- good grief! Could *all* those tall
blades growing through the Vinca infestation be Crocosmia?! It seems
so. I'm really looking forward to the display.