Fall-blooming crocus are just as pretty as their spring counterparts. Several species are available and all are very pretty. One, however, is both pretty and productive. Saffron crocus produces saffron, the world's most expensive spice. You can grow these bulbs in your garden and harvest saffron this fall, as well as every year. My saffron crocus patch has been producing faithfully every fall for twelve years.

Because saffron crocus has been cultivated for so long, it's not quite certain where it originated, although it's probably somewhere in the Middle East. Most commercial saffron is cultivated in Spain. Spain is hot, sunny and dry during a Spanish summer, so select a site in your garden most like Spain. That shouldn't be a problem.

When the purple striped flowers bloom in late October and November, harvest the saffron daily. With tweezers or manicure scissors, remove the bright red saffron "threads." There are three in each flower. Dry them on the kitchen counter, then store them in an air-tight container.

Saffron is used in many culinary delights, especially fish and chicken dishes, as well as pasta, bread, soups, sauces and egg dishes. Saffron rice is a particular--and easy--favorite of mine. Simply cook the rice as you normally would, but substitute chicken broth for the water. While you're soaking about a third of a teaspoon of saffron in lemon juice for 30 minutes, add finely chopped carrots, onions and carrots to the rice. Mix in the saffron and serve a lovely and delicious dish.

Another great fall bulb is colchicum, sometimes called meadow saffron. Don't get them confused; colchicum isn't edible and, in fact, is poisonous. But you'd never confuse the two. Colchicum has large, goblet-shaped flowers, usually pink but sometimes white. It blooms in fall without leaves, which mysteriously wait till spring to appear. Colchicum is native to high mountain meadows of Europe and does best in a sunny area with regular moisture. These bulbs can also be grown in a pot, then transferred to the garden later.

One other bulb that is often planted in fall is bearded iris. Your local nursery may offer dozens of pretty new iris, including some that bloom in both spring and fall. They won't bloom this fall (they've got to settle in first) but you can enjoy them both next spring and next fall. If you haven't had time to divide existing iris this summer, get busy with that task.

Another chance to tour Proctor's Garden

The response to the garden tour last Saturday was fantastic, even though the weather was cold and blustery. For those who got rained out, or couldn't make it because of their work schedules, I'm extending the tour for this Sunday. My garden will be open from 10am to 2pm. Admission is $5. The address is 3030 W. 46th Avenue. It's just 12 minutes from downtown Denver. The closest major cross streets are Federal Blvd. and 46th Ave.