England in the spring is so lovely! I know that of course, but every year I am taken aback by quite how stunning it can be. My favourite time is around mid April, when the blossom and emerging leaves veil the trees and bushes in a haze of green, yellow, white, pink, silver, bronze, orange, purple, in every conceivable shade. It is also when the Snakeshead Fritillary (fritillaria meleagris) is at its best. This exquisite member of the lily family was once a common sight in our fields, as its life cycle fitted in well with traditional field management methods. But changes in agricultural practices since the Second World War mean that it is now mostly seen only in gardens. Continue reading
Fritillary Days
27 Friday Apr 2012
Posted in Off Piste
signor biscotti 