Dave's Top 20

Nimbus - At Number One, an Earlham Hybrid bred in 1919 by Jack Fitt at Earlham Hall, Norwich. A stunning large flowered Montbretia with 3 inch diameter blooms,
yellow-orange in colour with a central ring marked with red. A stunning variety, and best grown in a pot for best effect, lacks hardiness but who cares. It's my favorite, and once seen, this will be well understood.

Star of the East - At Number Two, perhaps the largest flowered Montbretia still
available in commerce. Bred by George Davison in 1912 at Westwick Hall, Norfolk, its flowers measure over 3 inches in diameter, and is of a deep orange colour lightening towards the centre. A real star amongst Crocosmia, and perhaps the hardiest of the larger flowered forms. Has a tendancy to creep rather than clump but a real stunner.

Diademe - Number Three, pretty is the only word to describe this flower, a soft yellow variety with apricot blushes and red centre. It is a smaller flowered form whose flowers can be somewhat overlooked, and this is its only drawback. It is a real novelty, bred in France in the late 19th Century, and ideal for containers. Here I grow it in a clay pot on a low stone wall, and so I can look into and see the beauty of the flowers every time I pass.

Hill House - Number Four, a garden hybrid recently selected by Ray Hubberd of Hill House Nursery, Landscove, Devon. Probably a cross of Lucifer and a masoniorum, it is a tall erect hardy plant with larger flowers than Lucifer of a glowing orange-red.

Jupiter - Number Five, a completely hardy masoniorum hybrid bred in Holland in the early 1970s. A neat clumper with narrow, slightly glaucous foliage and striking light orange flowers. This variety is best left undivided for a while and left to become establish so it can form its superb habit.

Orangeade - Number Six, a hardy masoniorum hybrid with large flowers, if you like the colour orange, this will not disappoint for in my opinion it has the best orange
colour of any Crocosmia.

Solfatare - Number Seven, a less hardy and well-known sort, with bronze leaves and Naples yellow flowers. Ideal for the front or mid-border given a little protection, or for pot culture on the patio. A plant that never seems to disappoint in its charm or beauty.

Zeal Tan - Number Eight, bred by Terry Jones, of Devon. It is a relatively short, large flowered Montbretia of telling red colour with yellow central eye. It can be grown in the front of the border but it comes highly recommended as a container plant. Large flowered forms love being container grown and this, and good feeding also increases the actual flower size.

Zeal Giant - Number Nine, also bred by Terry Jones, of Devon it is perhaps the tallest Crocosmia that is currently grown, and very good for making a bold statement. At six feet or more in ideal conditions it is both hardy, and a superb back of border plant. Its pleated leaves give all round architectural interest.

His Majesty - Number Ten, a deep orange and yellow very large flowered variety and bred at Earlham Hall, Norwich. Hardy in the border if given protection, but equally good in a large clay Container, where its sheer size will overwhelm you. Sold for £2 per corm when it was first released in the 1920s, and is still as valuable today, and probably without any increase in its price.