Some of my favourite plants.

lovely picture of the snakehead picture 3 especially - nice choice very much agreed :):):)

Love them they are so pretty and very dainty the snakeshead fritillarias, but have got to watch them for the lily beetle keeps attacking them.

so far no lily beetles.
thought I spotted one but when I got close it was a ladybird :o)

Phew!

I love the frits too....they are so dainty.........didn't think the dreaded LB liked them too......I don't suffer (fingers crossed). My crown imperials are all over the place with the wind.....look like a crooked walking stick !!

Lovely plants - even though you have to be prostrate to see into the flower! If we go for a walk in the mountains at the right time of year soon I will try to find the wild fritillaries that we saw a few years ago and post photos. :o)

OOer that would be nice Nariz. look forward to those pictures.

i agree you cant beat seeing them in the wild.

I've wanted to grow these but have never got around to it. This year I saw some growing in a public garden in London - a draft blog on London Gardens is in the pipeline _ I'll post some photos I took.

Do they grow in the mountains near you, Nariz? I've never seen them growing wild, I thought they liked very damp places & wouldn't expect to find them on a mountain! But even mountains have damp places where a stream may make it damper than the rest of the mountain. I'd like to see some pics if you do find any!

snakeshead plants are lovely Sea.... i got a couple last year but lost mine sad to say, lovely pictures :o)

Yes,Balcony, they grow up in the mountains higher than the altitude of our village but, as you say, in a grassy shady damp area. It's always fascinating to walk in that particular place, because it's like regressing for a month. We see all the spring flowers emerging first on the valley floor, then a few weeks later they appear around our village, then when the blossom has gone from the fruit trees and the daffodills are long gone, we cal drive higher up, go for a walk and find them all still in bloom. We'll try to find time around the beginning of May to take a walk up there and I'll make sure I have my camera fully charged! :o)

You make me green with envy! I'd love to visit your village.

We will be in Cuenca for a few days at the end of April beginning of May. If I had more time I'd come & visit you!

You'd be very welcome, Balcony! It's approximately a 5 hour drive to us from Cuenca I would guess, so an overnight stop in our guest room after an evening romp in our local town would be best. Maybe next time???:o))

These are something I`ve never grown but they look very tempting ~ perhaps next year.

I have the snakeshead frit & totally missed the op to take photo's this year, drat!!
I had Frit michaillovskyi for years, smashing little frit that grew well, saved the seed each year which were easy also. Somwhow they faded over a couple of years, probably my fault but thinking of getting some more.

i've not had much success with that one Bampy. either they have rotted or the squirrels have got to them.

Stunning pics and blog... lovely :o)

Great photos and blog Seaburngirl My snakesheads are just coming into bloom I adore them to.

thanks TT and SK. I feel spring has truely sprung when this little beauties are out.

I'd love to take you up on your offer sometime, Nariz! :-)) I'm afraid it won't be possible this time around!

I found TWO red perils on my frits this year! That's up to now...I'll get them. Grrr...

I'm not so sure about the Crown Imperials if they smell of cat - what would Henry make of them, do you think?

Yes I love them too, but they only increase very slowly dont they? funny that I too have a crown imperial just behind my frits !! Ive never noticed the smell !! your going to have me going outside sniffing now lol.

lovely photos,

On GW last night, Monty Don commented on the smell, too!

yes he also said foxy/cat I feel vindicated as many friends have looed at me very strangely.

Did you see he bought some snakes head in flower I thought they were expensive Im sure I bought my bulbs for a couple of pounds.

Ive got snakes head in one corner of the garden planted by my late wife. They come up every year, its a nice reminder they were some of her favourites.

Glad to see Monty Don back on GW, couldn't get on with the other guy, somehow it wasn't the same without MD.

The programme has been transformed with Monty back in the "driver's seat"!

How true, he reminds me of Geoff Hamilton in many ways. I like Monty because he's got dirt under the fingernails, practical knowledge, seems to be a good guy and he gets stuck in!

I have also added F pontica to the list :o) A yellowy green flower.