Crocus 'Gipsy Girl' is a distinctive early-flowering crocus with rich golden-yellow flowers dramatically marked with purplish-brown stripes and feathering on the outer petals. The contrast is particularly striking while the flowers are closed, while bright sunshine encourages them to open and reveal their clear yellow interiors.
Flowering from February into March and growing to around 10cm tall, 'Gipsy Girl' is perfect for rockeries, border edges, containers and naturalising through lawns. Plant it in generous groups to create cheerful patches of golden colour towards the end of winter.
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Variety: Crocus 'Gipsy Girl'
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Flower colour: deep yellow with purplish-brown stripes and feathering
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Flowering time: February-March
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Height: approximately 10cm
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Position: full sun or light shade
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Soil: fertile, well-drained soil
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Planting time: autumn
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Suitable for: lawns, rockeries, borders, containers and naturalising
About Crocus 'Gipsy Girl'
'Gipsy Girl' is an eye-catching crocus with markings that set it apart from plain yellow varieties. The flowers are a strong golden yellow, but the outer surfaces of the petals are decorated with rich purplish-brown feathering. The markings form irregular vertical stripes that contrast beautifully against the yellow background.
When the flowers are tightly closed, these dark markings are particularly prominent. As the blooms open in sunshine, the golden interiors become more visible, giving the plant two noticeably different appearances depending on the weather and time of day.
Distinctive Golden-Yellow Flowers
The combination of warm yellow and dark purple-brown makes 'Gipsy Girl' an excellent choice for adding interest to an early spring bulb display. Rather than producing a single block of colour, every flower carries attractive natural patterning.
The flowers look particularly effective alongside purple, blue and white crocuses. Planting several contrasting varieties together can create a colourful display from late winter into early spring.
Early Flowers from February to March
Crocus 'Gipsy Girl' begins flowering from around February and can continue into March, depending on local conditions. This early season makes it particularly useful for introducing colour while much of the garden is still dormant.
The flowers respond strongly to sunlight, opening on bright days and closing during dull weather and at night. A sunny position will therefore allow you to enjoy the golden interiors of the flowers at their best.
Growing Crocus 'Gipsy Girl' in the UK
Plant the corms during autumn in fertile, well-drained soil. Full sun is ideal, although light shade is also suitable. Positions beneath deciduous trees and shrubs can work particularly well because plenty of sunlight reaches the ground before the overhead foliage develops.
Good drainage is important, especially during winter. Avoid planting crocus corms in areas where water regularly collects or the soil remains saturated for prolonged periods.
Ideal for Rockeries and Border Edges
At only around 10cm tall, 'Gipsy Girl' fits easily into rock gardens, gravel gardens and the front of borders. The compact plants can be tucked between later-emerging perennials, providing early colour before neighbouring plants begin their main growing season.
The combination of golden flowers and dark markings looks particularly effective against gravel and stone, making this a very attractive choice for sunny rockeries.
Excellent for Naturalising
'Gipsy Girl' is also well suited to informal and naturalised planting. Plant the corms in irregular groups through lawns or beneath deciduous trees to create scattered patches of early spring colour.
For a natural appearance, scatter the corms over the planting area and plant them approximately where they fall. This produces a much less formal arrangement than evenly spaced rows.
Growing Crocus 'Gipsy Girl' in Containers
The small size of this crocus makes it perfect for pots, troughs and window boxes. Plant several corms fairly close together in good-quality, free-draining compost for a concentrated display.
Containers are a particularly good way to appreciate the intricate markings of 'Gipsy Girl', as they can be positioned close to doors, paths or windows. The corms can also be combined with miniature narcissi and other early crocuses in mixed spring bulb pots.
Naturalising in Lawns
When planting 'Gipsy Girl' through grass, choose an area that receives good winter and early spring light. Once flowering has finished, allow the narrow foliage to remain until it has naturally yellowed and died back before mowing the area.
This period is important because the leaves continue to photosynthesise and replenish the corms beneath the soil. Given suitable conditions, the plants can return year after year and gradually form larger groups.
Useful Early Flowers for Pollinators
Early crocuses can provide a useful source of pollen and nectar for bees and other pollinating insects emerging during mild spells in late winter. Their open, cup-shaped flowers make the centres easy for visiting insects to access.
Combining 'Gipsy Girl' with other early-flowering bulbs can help provide a longer succession of flowers from late winter onwards.
After Flowering
Crocus 'Gipsy Girl' requires very little maintenance once established. After flowering, simply allow the foliage to die back naturally. Avoid removing green leaves prematurely, as this can reduce the energy available to the corm for the following year's growth.
Once the foliage has disappeared, the dormant corms can remain undisturbed underground until growth begins again.
Why Grow Crocus 'Gipsy Girl'?
- Rich golden-yellow early spring flowers
- Distinctive purplish-brown stripes and feathering
- Flowers from February to March
- Compact height of approximately 10cm
- Excellent for naturalising through lawns
- Ideal for rockeries and border edges
- Perfect for pots, troughs and window boxes
- Provides useful early flowers for pollinating insects
With its golden-yellow flowers and striking dark feathered markings, Crocus 'Gipsy Girl' is one of the more distinctive early crocuses. Easy to incorporate into borders, lawns, rockeries and containers, it provides a welcome burst of colour from February into March.
