#SixOnSaturday: Fritillaries make my Day!

 I must admit to a certain amount of grumpiness today, it's still cold, still so dry everything in pots needs watering and I missed my anticipated Gardener's World last night and GQT on the radio in the afternoon, although I can catch up from the links I've just added. I went out this morning to look at the garden, wondering what to include today, I haven't sown anything in the greenhouse because it's been so cold, and my gorgeous Magnolia, featured last week with more flowers than ever, has been so badly frosted that the flowers are still unopened and brown.

So what was looking good today? I love Snake's Head Fritillaries and enjoy seeing them en masse at Cricklade North Meadow, where they are beginning to flower, with an estimated peak around 19 April.It's an amazing site, where 80% of the country's fritillaries are thought to be found. Well mine are looking fabulous this year, I think I have found a spot they like, and they are flowering well:

I have tried growing them in other places, and they have eventually disappeared, but here they are positively thriving so that's wonderful, I'm feeling better already. The tulips are also beginning to look good, although density of planting isn't quite right, I should have packed far more into the planters, and kept the Parkers order slip somewhere where I could find it so I would know what these tulips are called, having looked at the website, they may be purple flag:

I think I prefer the tulips in the flower beds this year, they are closer together and form a striking display:

Last week I was excited by the damson blossom, this week it's plum, possibly Victoria that's looking very good, and seems unaffected by the frost:

They look very optimistic don't they? 

I've also been surprised by how many narcissi are only just opening, I suppose it's the cold weather delaying the season, these Hawera have just opened this week and are looking very fresh just now

The flowering currant is also a brilliant plant for brightening up an area

So that's my six on a bit of a sombre weekend, let's hope for rain and warmth this week so we can get on with the business of spring. I'm now off to look at what The Propagator has chosen this week for his 6, it's worth clicking on the link and seeing how it's really done. He's included Muscari, I nearly chose my white ones, but got distracted in the garden and forgot to include them.