Cultivation

Fritillaries are found in a range of habitats so it is difficult to generalise about ideal growing conditions. Some grow in harsh conditions on high mountains, while the snake’s head fritillary,

F. meleagris, grows in low altitude, damp meadows. Thankfully, there are several that can easily be grown in the garden and most will do well in full sun to light shade, or under deciduous trees, shaded from the hot summer sun when dormant.

The bulbs of fritillaries should be planted in autumn.

Most have fairly small bulbs, although those of the mighty crown imperial can be larger than a tennis ball and have a foxy smell. Species from the Mediterranean region, such as F. davisii, F. messanensis, F. michailovskyi and F. acmopetala, will do best with plenty of sunlight and a dry summer. Plant the bulbs in free-draining soil or around deciduous shrubs that will take up excess moisture in the summer.

To improve drainage, bulbs can be grown in a raised bed, where water will drain more quickly. The soil can also be amended by adding extra grit or sand. If you don’t have suitable garden soil, then this could be a way to grow some of the Mediterranean species or the Central Asian F. eduardii. Alternatively, try them in pots of gritty, loam-based soil, kept dry but shaded in summer.

The crown imperial also likes plenty of sunlight in spring but is remarkably tolerant of many garden situations. In good, fertile soil that never gets waterlogged, this handsome plant is easily grown. As with many fritillaries, it does well in a spot that is lightly shaded in summer. The same is true of F. persica.

This makes a great late-spring bulb for a south-facing herbaceous border, the bulbs protected from summer heat by the surrounding perennials. Other easy species for a sunny border include F. elwesii, F. uva-vulpis, F. pyrenaica and

F. pontica. These tolerate some summer moisture but the main consideration is their location relative to other plants. Although they can be quite tall, they are not imposing plants and they can be swamped by vigorous spring perennials so chose a spot carefully, where you can appreciate their subtle beauty.

In a more consistently shady part of the garden, try

F. pallidiflora or F. camschatcensis. These do well in a cooler location but avoid deep shade. At the foot of a low wall, in a partly shaded corner with other woodland plants, they will thrive.

The only fritillary to reliably do well in grass is F. meleagris. It will do best in a damp, shallow hollow in a lawn, lightly shaded by deciduous trees or along a hedge. Plant the bulbs by lifting the turf, placing the bulbs on the soil and replacing the turf. They will flower in mid-spring but make sure the grass is not cut until the fritillary leaves have died down for the summer.

Many fritillaries will slowly increase naturally but to speed things up, lift the bulbs in early summer and spread them around, or remove offsets to grow on separately.