Magnificent Montbretia

Crocosmia, commonly called montbretia, grows from corms which form dense clumps of upright sword-shaped foliage. Then suddenly sprays of bright orange flowers, carried in branched spikes appear - usually in mid summer, but this year they are late. They say that the bulbs should be lifted and stored over winter in cold areas, but these survive in a cold and sunless area of the garden in winter. They tend to spread into every corner but then so do so many good ground cover plants.