Where to See our native British Snake's Head Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris)
Britain boasts just one native fritillary, Fritillaria meleagris (the Snake's Head fritillary). It is a beautiful species that grows in just a few meadows in Southern England and the Midlands. Below you will find details of these sites. The best time to visit to see them in flower is usually mid to late April.
Above: Fritillaria meleagris flowering at Fox Meadow in Suffolk in 2009
Sites
1. Fox Fritillary Meadow, Framsden, Suffolk: Boasts one of the county’s most impressive displays of the snake’s head fritillary. Suffolk Wildlife Trust owns the site and manage it to best suit the plant, which likes quite fertile, free draining soils, in areas which flood during winter. Only open one day a year. For location and visiting details see:
http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/reserves/fox-fritillary-meadow or
http://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/node/8972
2. Mickfield Meadow and Martin’s Meadows, Suffolk: Smaller populations of fritillaries can also be found in Suffolk at these two meadows which are open all the time. For details see:
http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/reserves/martins-meadow
3. Iffley Meadows, Oxfordshire: At the last count, this site had 76,000 fritillaries. It is managed by the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust. Open at all times. For details see:
http://www.bbowt.org.uk/reserves/iffley-meadows
4. Ducklington Mead, Oxfordshire: Only open for one day a year towards the end of April when the local church, St Bartholomew’s, hosts “Fritillary Sunday”. For details see:
http://www.ducklingtonchurch.org.uk/fritillary/
5. Magdalen College, Oxfordshire. The Meadow (bounded by Addison's Walk). This triangular meadow lies to the east of the college, bounded on all sides by the River Cherwell. Open daily, 1pm-6pm or dusk (whichever is the earlier) at Fritillaria flowering time. For details see:
http://oxford.openguides.org/wiki/?Magdalen_College
6. Mottey Meadows, Staffordshire: A site managed by Natural England and only open for specified guided walks. For details see:
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/designations/nnr/1006106.aspx
7. North Meadow, Cricklade, Wiltshire: Open access, but access is restricted to the public footpaths. For details see:
http://www.crickladeinbloom.co.uk/fritillary_watch.html
Natural England arranges guided walks around the meadow at weekends when the Fritillaries are in flower. See:
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/designations/nnr/1006112.aspx
8. Lugg Meadows Herefodshire: This site is partly owned by Herefordshire Nature Trust, partly by Plantlife and partly private. Herefordshire Nature Trust run an annual Fritillary Day. For details see:
http://www.herefordshirewt.org/fritillary_day.html
9. Portholme Meadow, Cambridgeshire. An open access site owned by the London Anglers Association and Thomas Miller Charity.
Sometimes guided walks are offered. See:
http://portholme.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/spring-update-first-fritillaries-and.html
10. Broad Meadow, Staffordshire. A nature reserve owned by Tamworth Borough Council and managed under the Wild about Tamworth project. For details see:
Broad Meadow | Tamworth Borough Council
1. Fox Fritillary Meadow, Framsden, Suffolk: Boasts one of the county’s most impressive displays of the snake’s head fritillary. Suffolk Wildlife Trust owns the site and manage it to best suit the plant, which likes quite fertile, free draining soils, in areas which flood during winter. Only open one day a year. For location and visiting details see:
http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/reserves/fox-fritillary-meadow or
http://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/node/8972
2. Mickfield Meadow and Martin’s Meadows, Suffolk: Smaller populations of fritillaries can also be found in Suffolk at these two meadows which are open all the time. For details see:
http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/reserves/martins-meadow
3. Iffley Meadows, Oxfordshire: At the last count, this site had 76,000 fritillaries. It is managed by the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust. Open at all times. For details see:
http://www.bbowt.org.uk/reserves/iffley-meadows
4. Ducklington Mead, Oxfordshire: Only open for one day a year towards the end of April when the local church, St Bartholomew’s, hosts “Fritillary Sunday”. For details see:
http://www.ducklingtonchurch.org.uk/fritillary/
5. Magdalen College, Oxfordshire. The Meadow (bounded by Addison's Walk). This triangular meadow lies to the east of the college, bounded on all sides by the River Cherwell. Open daily, 1pm-6pm or dusk (whichever is the earlier) at Fritillaria flowering time. For details see:
http://oxford.openguides.org/wiki/?Magdalen_College
6. Mottey Meadows, Staffordshire: A site managed by Natural England and only open for specified guided walks. For details see:
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/designations/nnr/1006106.aspx
7. North Meadow, Cricklade, Wiltshire: Open access, but access is restricted to the public footpaths. For details see:
http://www.crickladeinbloom.co.uk/fritillary_watch.html
Natural England arranges guided walks around the meadow at weekends when the Fritillaries are in flower. See:
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/designations/nnr/1006112.aspx
8. Lugg Meadows Herefodshire: This site is partly owned by Herefordshire Nature Trust, partly by Plantlife and partly private. Herefordshire Nature Trust run an annual Fritillary Day. For details see:
http://www.herefordshirewt.org/fritillary_day.html
9. Portholme Meadow, Cambridgeshire. An open access site owned by the London Anglers Association and Thomas Miller Charity.
Sometimes guided walks are offered. See:
http://portholme.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/spring-update-first-fritillaries-and.html
10. Broad Meadow, Staffordshire. A nature reserve owned by Tamworth Borough Council and managed under the Wild about Tamworth project. For details see:
Broad Meadow | Tamworth Borough Council
All the above are wild, natural sites. The Snake's Head fritillary can also be seen in various public gardens. Here is a selection of some of the best:
1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey: Fritillaries can be seen along the Princess Walk. For general information see:
http://www.kew.org/
For a bulb map of Kew see:
http://www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens/explore/tours/bulb-map
2. Wakehurst Place, W. Sussex: Fritillaries can be seen in the Bog garden. For general garden information see:
http://www.kew.org/visit-wakehurst
3. Cambridge Botanical Garden: A lovely patch of the native Snake's Head Fritillary can be seen naturalised in the grass under the Magnolia collection north of the Stream Garden. For a map see:
http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/Botanic/Map.aspx
The Garden also holds the National Collection of European Fritillaria. For details see:
http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/Botanic/Plant.aspx?p=27&ix=5&pid=0&prcid=0&ppid=0
4. Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire, have a Fritillary weekend each year. See:
http://www.waterperrygardens.co.uk/
For general details about fritillaries in floodplain meadows see:
http://www.floodplainmeadows.org.uk/content/snakes-head-fritillaries
1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey: Fritillaries can be seen along the Princess Walk. For general information see:
http://www.kew.org/
For a bulb map of Kew see:
http://www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens/explore/tours/bulb-map
2. Wakehurst Place, W. Sussex: Fritillaries can be seen in the Bog garden. For general garden information see:
http://www.kew.org/visit-wakehurst
3. Cambridge Botanical Garden: A lovely patch of the native Snake's Head Fritillary can be seen naturalised in the grass under the Magnolia collection north of the Stream Garden. For a map see:
http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/Botanic/Map.aspx
The Garden also holds the National Collection of European Fritillaria. For details see:
http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/Botanic/Plant.aspx?p=27&ix=5&pid=0&prcid=0&ppid=0
4. Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire, have a Fritillary weekend each year. See:
http://www.waterperrygardens.co.uk/
For general details about fritillaries in floodplain meadows see:
http://www.floodplainmeadows.org.uk/content/snakes-head-fritillaries