The polka-dotted beauty of Fritillaria meleagris is admired in the plant world. It’s as though cheerful fairies have donned festive finery before romping through your garden to celebrate the arrival of spring. But whoever dreamed up the common name was thinking of things less gorgeous, and the name snake’s head fritillary seems to have stuck. Still, there’s nothing to stop you thinking of fairies!

As pretty as it is, you’d expect Fritillaria meleagris (also sometimes called checkered lily) to be a trifle fussy, but if you choose a sunny to lightly shaded spot in well-drained soil, your flowers will be here to stay, coming up naturally every year without any need for lifting and storing bulbs.