Fritillaria 2013

[fredg]

For me this Fritillaria camschatcensis takes a lot of beating. The little devil is multiplying fast

[Maggi Young]

That Eurasian form of Fritillaria camschatcensis is a cracker Fred.

[fermi de Sousa]

First flowering for a little frit grown from NARGS seedex 2005 as Fritillaria gussichiae,
cheers
fermi

[Uli Lessnow]

Fritillaria davidii:
As the Galanthophiles inform about the first shot, I can tell you that at the same time
the first leaves of Fritillaria davidii break through the surface. It is early this year, the
last years it was about Mid-October. So I hope for same nice flowers next year.

[fermi de Sousa]

Fritillaria messanensis ssp messanensis in the garden,
taken yesterday - fortunately I had my hat to help provide some light blocking to get a view of the inside
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

I have had a super surprise with many of my frits this year. When I moved house and garden and nursery back in February, I planned simply to abandon a number of Fritillaria and other pots which had had nothing come up in them for two full flowering seasons the reasons being several seasons of bad drought, a certain amount of basic neglect due to illness, laziness and just far too much to do, and total weed cover, mainly grasses which I think stifled the growth of the bulbs, many of which were young and not fully matured.

On the day, I was helped by a gardening friend and by my son who is no gardener. They, thinking to bring as much as possible for the sake of recycling the pots, brought the to-be-abandoned frits, about 80 pots in all. I was a bit miffed because I thought I'd now have to throw them out myself.

This last autumn and especially winter, though mild, was very wet. At one stage in June we had 8 inches of rain in a week, usually a third of the year's total. There are still patches here in the lawn which are boggy. But this excess of water brought about what amounts to a miracle in that the frit pots, totally dead as I thought, have all leapt into growth and many have flowered or are still doing so. They're still rather grassy but I'm cleaning them up gradually and will repot or plant out the lot over the summer. Some have gone back to small bulbs with single leaves others seem to have flourished during their prolonged sleep.

The lesson of course is, even though the bulbs are APPARENTLY dead, many or even most can go dormant for a long period, even two full years, yet still come to life again when conditions suit them. I'm so grateful my helpers brought "dead" pots to my new place or there would be many species I would have to replace, even if that were now possible which in many cases it would not be.

[Rick R.]

What a happy ending! 

I've found that to be the case with some species lilies, too.

[fermi de Sousa]

Lesley,
we look forward to seeing pics of your reclaimed Frits!
Here's yet another green and brown one - Fritillaria acmopetala
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Well I do too Fermi. About 20 have flowered to some extent. There was even a stenanthera, at the amazingly tall height of.....2 centimetres! The ones which have come through best are thessala, bithynica and the Americans, affinis, biflora and 'Martha Roderick.' Enough of those latter 3 to plant out in clumps in a new bit I'm doing in the nursery part, nearest the railway line. It's an ongoing battle with Boris and his ladies though. Came home from town yesterday to find plants of Mertensia virginica on the driveway and Corydalis malkensis shredded though retrievable thank goodness, and two plants of Hepatrica triloba uprooted and wilted. They are special because they came from Stewart Preston's garden which is, alas, no more. Sundry primulas scattered around too. If I could catch the feathery b.....d, (Boris) he'd be a pie in double quick time! Much replanting, then the application of bird netting.

[Janis Ruksans]

Still in Latvia "crazy" autumn (see Crocus pages, Crazy December-2013). After one night of minus 12 again is 3-5 plus degrees. In greenhouse started to bloom the first frit of season 2014 - Fritillaria karelinii from Kazahstan.
Janis

[Yann]

for those who love Fritillaria 

[Arda Takan]

oh my god
I LOVE BULBS
even more than flowers

[jshields]

oh my god
I LOVE BULBS
even more than flowers

I'm with you there, Arda!

Jim