Fritillaria

Today's the day ......................... to check out the garden

We've only been away a week or so but it's incredible how many new plants are starting to appear in the garden. And these have to be one of my favourites.

They look so exotic with their strange chequered petals. Apparently this is what their name is derived from - the latin word for a dice-box (fritillus). They look almost unreal - as if the pattern had been painted on. Perhaps this is why they were also one of the favourites of the artist and architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh ..................