Snake's head

Today's the day ..................... to give a plant a bad name

.....'a sinister little flower, in the mournful colour of decay' was how Vita Sackville-West described this plant. A little harsh, I think.

Fritillaria meleagris is its proper latin name - the Fritillaria bit meaning dice-box and possibly referring to the chequered pattern on the flowers. It's also known as the Snake's Head Fritillary or Snakehead Lily, because before the bud is fully opened, it reminds some of a striking cobra.

It had other sinister-sounding names like Deathbell, Widow's Veil or Lepers' Lilies - the latter because the shape of the flower was reminscent of the bells attached to the clothing of beggar-lepers to announce their arrival or warn of their presence.

Personally, I find it a very unusual and quite beautiful plant. It's always a treat to see it again in the garden at the end of the winter ...............