Snake’s Head Fritillary
If you too would like to participate in Macro Monday, please skip over to Lisa's Chaos
I forgot to post photos of my Fritillaries in flower for the end of view last Wednesday…
My previous experience has been poor, I planted an entire pack of their bulbs/corms a few years ago and not a single one has ever come up, so two years ago I was tempted by some in the green, I eventually planted them in the border and didn’t expect to see them return.
If you too would like to participate in Macro Monday, please skip over to Lisa's Chaos
I forgot to post photos of my Fritillaries in flower for the end of view last Wednesday…
My previous experience has been poor, I planted an entire pack of their bulbs/corms a few years ago and not a single one has ever come up, so two years ago I was tempted by some in the green, I eventually planted them in the border and didn’t expect to see them return.
Last year I was thrilled to see them come back! So a month or so ago I bought some more in the green and have planted them in the same border and hope they too will return next year…
I’m tempted to buy some bulbs in Autumn and try my luck… Perhaps that’s pushing it too far?
The pot I bought this year actually has a white one in it… A nice surprise, I’ve never seen the white ones in real life before :)
I love them because they look exactly like a flower in a medieval manuscript. Ive not had much luck with them, however. But your pictures have inspired me to start again....must remember to order them in the green next year ;-)
ReplyDeleteLovely fritillaries and lovely pix! Glad yours came back :)
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures - I planted some last year that were in the green, and they are up and in bud, but not in flower yet. I'll just have to look at yours while I wait!
ReplyDeleteThe pattern of these is amazing! Great shots!
ReplyDeleteHi Liz....one of my very favourite blooms.....just so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThere is something just so magical about this pretty flower.
I grow them, rabbits eat them. Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Hi Julie,
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean! For some strange reason they just seem to be pre-historic, no doubt it's the reptillian pattern to the flowers.
Good to hear I'm not the only one not having much luck with them, I am tempted to try again with the bulbs in Autumn.
My original 2 have become 4 this year, the pot I bought from B&Q has around 10 in it, I wish I bought a few more pots now...
Hi Cyndy,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I do love them, I can remember the first time my mum and I came across them, we were in awe :)
Hi Su,
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
Oooh, I'm glad yours have come back! They're such wonderful flowers.
Hi Colleen,
ReplyDeleteThank you, I'm glad you enjoyed them :)
Hi Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteOh no! I cannot believe the Rabbits eat them!!! Noooooooo...
Perhaps have them in a protected pot/trough?
Beautiful photos of a plant I love :)
ReplyDeleteI love these little bulbs. I used to have loads of them but they died out after a few years as the ground was just too heavy so I decided to plant some in a new spot for flowering this year and they are in bloom just now - white ones were amongst the purple ones too - so that was a nice surprise also.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! I especially loved that close up of the water drop. I never have very good luck with these bulbs. Always fun to see them gracing someone's garden!
ReplyDeleteLiz, what do the leaves look like? I'm just curious, because we have something emerging here that I suspect could turn out to be a fritillary, but they don't yet have blooms. Almost all of the photos I find are of the flowers (and understandably so), and not of the leaves.
ReplyDeleteHi HM,
ReplyDeleteThanks, all I think of whenever I see it is Charles Rennie Macintosh... Strange :)
Hi Rosie,
ReplyDeleteOh, so they don't like heavy clay? I was under the impression that they did like it, damp at least? Interesting!
The ones I planted were all in pots years ago - before I bought a house with a garden and was gardening in pots - and none came up in the lovely compost...
Hi Kate,
ReplyDeleteThey certainly seem to be picky in where they will grow! It's always the most beautiful plants which need special care, isn't it?
Hi Su,
ReplyDeleteThe leaves are like those which you see in the photos... Thin, looks like couch grass when coming up.
Here's a photo:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/Dipodil/stuff/2010/April/03April27.jpg
I'm afraid it isn't great, it's the best I have to show the leaves at the moment. The larger, flatter leaves around it are Alliums... I can try to get better shots another time, but to be honest there's very little to look at before the flowers open.
Those are my favorite fritillary - I'm not a huge fan of the big orange and yellow ones. But I love the maroon and white checkers. Your photos show them off nicely!
ReplyDeleteWho wouldn't fall in love with those checked petals? I have admired these plants from afar and have been tempted to try them here. I think they would meet the same fate as tulips and crocuses. Sigh. But yours are lovely, and I hope they continue to prosper!
ReplyDeleteI have never seen this flower before. What lovely patterns it has. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThey are lovely, though a little too exotic for my garden, I do love to see them in others!
ReplyDeletewow, they have such interesting patterns! nice photos.
ReplyDeleteCrazy, amazing patterns, Liz!
ReplyDeleteHi VW,
ReplyDeleteSame here, these are the only Fritillaries I even consider having in the garden… They’re so vastly different I almost don’t even consider them as being the same family!
Hi Debs,
ReplyDeleteNot to worry, it would seem they’re quite picky over where they grow anyway, and from most responses lots of people have difficulty growing them!
It’s a shame you can’t have Tulips or Crocuses though… I cannot imagine my garden without Crocuses…
Hi Kala,
ReplyDeleteI’m glad you liked the photos, they’re such amazing flowers, I don’t think there are many other similar flowers available!
Hi Jay,
ReplyDeleteThey’re actually native to the UK, so I wouldn’t quite class them as exotic ;)
Hi Joseph,
ReplyDeleteThank you very much :)
They’ve been a must-have for a while now, and I’m thrilled they seem to be thriving in our clay - so there is a good point to clay after all?!!!
Hi Kimberly,
ReplyDeleteIndeed, their patterns are very interesting… I wonder why they evolved to have such intricate detail?
Hi Liz, these are fabulous shots! We have had the same kind of luck with these fritts, the first time only 2 out of 25 coming up, and very stingy with the bloom. We tried again with a different vendor, planting in the fall, and they are up and blooming their brains out, both purple and white. Keep trying, they are worth it! :-)
ReplyDeleteFrances
Oh you lucky thing! I just can't get fritillaries to grow in my garden ... maybe I've not found the perfect spot for them yet?!
ReplyDeleteI did, however, FINALLY get some goldfinches onto my feeder - I moved it to a new position about 10 feet east of where it was before, but I've now seen a pair of goldies on there a few times!!!
Hi Frances,
ReplyDeleteMmmm, I may try getting bulbs from a different place then, see if that works?
Glad to hear yours are doing so well though! :)
Hi Liz!
ReplyDeleteSeems to be quite a reoccuring theme going on with the Frits eh?
Glad to hear you got some Goldies, get yourself some Sunflower hearts, they love them. Mine eat only the Sunnies. Don't bother with Nyjer seeds, Sunnies are where it's at.
As you've probably seen I get a lot in the winter, but most times of the year there's usually 4 on there - I assume two pairs, they're on the seeds almost all day every day. And then they bring their lovely families with them as they only nest across the street and I get to watch the parents going to and fro from the comfort of my sofa :)
Hi Liz,
ReplyDeleteOh how I do lust after fritillaries! Delectable images;-)
Worthy of lengthy viewings. Thank you,
Alice
(now at ... Alice's Garden Travel Buzz)