Daffodils brightly herald the start of spring, but the subtle charm of the Snakes head Fritillary is hard to outdo. Each slender stem of this spring bulb carries a hanging bell-shaped bloom, heavily chequered with dark purple and white squares, an effect rarely seen on petals.Also available is a sub-species with pure white flowers (FRITILLARIA meleagris ssp. Alba).
Unfortunately these hardy wild flowers are becoming increasingly rare in the countryside due to modern farming methods, but the few protected sites in Britain really are a wonderful sight in April.
They are easy to grow in a border or pot, and look stunning naturalized in grass, either in sun or partial shade.
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