Fritillaria imperialis 'Aurora'

5 Mar 2019 • Woohoo! These don’t look quite as chunky as they did last year. I suspect there isn’t a flower but who knows? 🤔🤞 #fritillaria-imperialis

Looks impressive Jacqueline 👍🏼

It does doesn’t it Elaine. Looks can be deceiving but even if it doesn’t flower it looks wonderful at the moment @wagsmomthompsonbtinternetcom

Morning Jacqueline... mine look similar 👍☺️

Let’s both keep our fingers crossed then 🤞😂 @juliesgarden

Hope so! And hope at least one of mine has a flower this year too! 😬

🤞🤞🤣

It's taken me a while to decide whether I like these or not, but I suspect that having just put it on my wish list the decision has been made 😱😂🙄

👍🤣 As long as you like the smell you will love them I’m sure 🧡 @pelly

I'll put them away from the house Jacqueline 👃👃😂

I love the smell as it reminds me of Cannizzaro Park in London, where I used to go as a child but I know it’s not to everyone’s taste @pelly

I've just had a look at Cannizaro Park, it looks wonderful Jacqueline 😍😍

26 Apr 2018 • Having a break from adding to the encyclopaedia, I just can’t get enough of this 🧡💚🧡

You’re right Laura, it’s been a long time coming...though I’m still not ready for it 😉😂 @columbiariver

Amazing Jacquline...just stunning..😍

Love it 😍

Thanks Elaine. Once the sun gets on it it just glows 🧡 @wagsmomthompsonbtinternetcom

Me too Melanie! @greenfinger14

Breathtaking!

Beautiful photo 😍

Thank you both 😊 @richard.spicer.7906 @suerichards

I think this is my #bestofapril

Isn’t it wonderful what a bit of sunshine brings. Won’t be long now...

...According to Roger Phillips & Martyn Rix in their fantastic book “Bulbs”, it is called in Persian “Tears of Mary” because of the great drops of nectar at the base of each petal. Christian tradition tells that of all the flowers, only the proud Crown Imperial refused to bow its head at the crucifixion; it has bowed & wept ever since #gtlibrary

They’re looking great Jacqueline. Mine are at a similar stage - like you I can’t wait!

Really interesting snippet Jacqueline. I’ve never heard that before. Amazing how these have been around so long 🧡🧡

I ADOREEE the scent, beautiful bulbs

Thanks Nicola. There’s more... “Native of Turkey & W Iran, where they grow on cliffs, rocky slopes & among scrub, they’ve been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century” 🤓 😊 @jendren

Yippee 👍🏼👍🏼

Me too Sean! Breeders are trying to breed out the scent but I think it adds to them. I know it’s not exactly flowery but I really like it @Sephy

Almost there Elaine! 🧡 @wagsmomthompsonbtinternetcom

It is actually the closest smell to real cannabis from a plant I've found! I don't mind either as I love the intoxicating smell hehe🌞🌞🌞 @awomanonabike

Beautiful can't wait to see it open, though it's gorgeous as it is!

I like the smell too. Can’t vouch for it being like cannabis I’m afraid. I’ve never smelt it - that I know! @Sephy I think it’s quite citrusy in a way 👃🏻

15 April 2018 • I just can’t wait 💛🧡💛

Oh me too Jason! And they are changing every day 😊😉 @Jasonsparkes1

8 April 2018 • Come on my beauties 🧡 My son says these smell of posh gardens 😉

Aren’t these fabulous Jacqueline. Love the comment about the smell. 😂

He’s absolutely right though isn’t he Nicola. I first smelled them in a public park, which is now sadly a “posh garden” to a Hotel du Vin 😂 @jendren

I’m dying to get a whiff! 😂 have yet to experience the aroma!

Maybe it’s one of those smells that some people don’t get. You can smell these as soon as you come into the garden 😜 @rachelbrooks

Hmm...I haven’t got a great sense of smell 😏

According to this article, breeders are going to try and breed out the smell 🙁 https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/foxy-smell-in-the-garden/ @rachelbrooks

5 April 2018 • I am getting sooooo excited about these 🧡 #foliagefriday

Thanks Jason. I’ve always loved them since I first saw them (& smelled them) in a park when I was a child. Some people don’t like the smell but then some people are weird 🤣 - but this is the first time I’ve grown them so 🤞🤞 @Jasonsparkes1

Now you’re just showing off! 😉 bet you didn’t even have to firkle to see that! 😂😘

😂🤣 I did have a bit of a firkle in the other pot though, as I’m sure I had more than 4 of the Persicaria 🤔 @rachelbrooks

Hope so Jason! There are some great photos on here too 👍😍 @Jasonsparkes1

Aren’t they just! You must! Can’t wait 🧡 @Jasonsparkes1

Smelly beauties! I’m addicted to them. I have a variegated one this year that has just popped through the soil 👌🏼

Variegated?! I didn’t know they existed Rich. I’ll look forward to seeing that. I love the smell. I’m told they smell of weed but wouldn’t know 😉 😂 @richard.spicer.7906

26 March 2018 • 3 days since the last photo. Seriously 😃

They are looking fabulous 👌💘💘

I am soooooo excited Keely. I’ve never grown them before but have loved them since I was a child 😊😊😊 @Keely

🚀 🚀 @columbiariver

Wow, fabulous photo too Jacqueline 😍😍

Thank you Jane. Amazing what a bit of sunshine can do ☀️ @pelly

Thank you Katy & G. They make me so happy 😃 @gjones

Makes all the difference ☀☀

No firkling required then! 😉😂

Wow they look great 👍🏼

Brilliant 👍🏻👍🏻

No but the persicaria needed a little firkle 😉😂 @rachelbrooks

24 March 2018 • OK, so not the most exciting picture, but it makes me very happy, especially since they were a bit of an emergency planting job back in December🧡😊🧡

Ooh thanks! Now I know what to look for! Hopefully mine will appear (didn’t plant til mid January! 😬)

I was at risk of damaging them as I kept poking about in the soil looking for them 😬 Have you grown them before? @rachelbrooks

Lol patience child! 😉 no I haven’t and because I’d left the bulbs for so long some of them felt a bit soft...so I’m not holding out much hope 😏😬

Oh 🤞 It’s been so wet and cold and I didn’t have any gravel and I only had ericaceous compost (hence the wood ashes on top which I later found nails in) and... don’t give up hope 😘

#crownimperial #fritillaria