Snakes head celebration ..

Day 277 #365DaysWild

Snakes head fritillaries 

Snakes head refers to the bent necks of the flower buds on the stems stems, like a snake about to strike.

Fritillary means chequered.

The boffins disagree over whether it is

naturalised or native. ‘Who cares?’ I say.

It is utterly exotic and unlike any other garden flower.

We planted bulbs of Snakes head fritillaries around the pond edge. In their first year they flourished -

but the increased rainfall has raised the pond level and flooded the bulbs, possibly rotting them.

However, in the meadow, fritillaries have appeared and are now in striking, nodding bloom. Linda has been casting her seed - and to good effect!

Snakes head central is Cricklade North meadow in Wiltshire.

On the ‘bucket list’ as young people say.

Our great hope is that the lily beetles that are their nemesis don’t find them and that the delicate flowers can go on to produce seed, increase our population to rival Cricklade.