Native in the garden (Fritillaria)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Fritillaria
Date:	03/04/08 (144 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: vpretty

Disadvantages: none

I like to be natural in my garden
If you have read my previous reviews you will know I like to garden organically and grow native species and to encourage wildlife mostly butterflies to my garden. I like to grow English native plants in my garden

There are several fritillaries one that is native to England is the fritillarea meleagris the snakes head fritillary. This plant is from the family Liliaceae. The pattern texture of this flower reminds one of snakeskin, hence its name. Also called guinea-hen flower due to its color also called checked lily. This plant grows up to 30 cm 12 inches tall. The flower is bell lantern shaped and hangs down on a single stem. The flower is pretty it is a checkered pattern of pink and purples. When I see one I just have to get down and examine its delicate flower. There is also a white variety which is also has a lightly checked patterned. The flower bell is about 4cm large

Naturally in the wild this flower grows in damp meadows. It is not such a common wild flower as it used to be but grows well in many gardens.

This plant looks lovely naturalized in the garden in the grass. But do not cut the grass till the fritillary leaves have died down; this plant grows well under shrubs too. It likes a soil that is damp but drains well that does not become waterlogged

You can buy seeds to grow this flower from http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/product/816 2/1 they cost £3.99 for a packet containing 30 seeds. SEW these se3ds autumn through to spring
At http://www.secretseeds.com/acatalog/Fritillaria.ht mlFritillaria meleagris (Snake's Head Fritillary) you can buy a pack of 50 seeds for £1.80
these will flower year after year in the same position and will self seed increasing the numbers.

There are other members of the fritillarea species that you can grow n your garden larger taller flowers, but I like this smaller delicate fritllarea meleagris the snakes head fritillary. To see pictures of other fritillaries look at http://search.live.com/images/results.aspx?q=friti llaria++flower&mkt=en-gb.
To see these plants go to Ducklington oxford shire or Magdalen Meadow in Oxford during April and May

Summary: A pretty flower