Plant of the Week - Crocosmia (crocosmia)

I came across this yard in the Rose Garden neighborhood in San Jose that is planted completely in Crocosmia (with the exception of the lawn). As you can see, this hardy 'perennial' in the iris family looks stunning planted en masse. Growing from corms, there are cultivars available in a variety of shades from yellow to scarlet, most often seen in orange. This South African native multiplies easily in bay area gardens, and can be somewhat invasive especially in wet areas. I think it makes a good background planting behind summer flowering perennials such as salvias and ecinaceas. Divide every few years and transplant in fall.