Taylors Bulbs Fritillaria persica Giant (1)

Fritillaria persica is one of the most architectural bulbs you can plant, sending up a single tall spire clothed from top to bottom in nodding, bell-shaped flowers in a deep, smoky plum-purple. Each stem can carry up to 30 blooms, opening in succession through April and May above cool, glaucous grey-green foliage — a genuinely dramatic sight rising through a spring border, and a worthy holder of the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Supplied as a large, top-size bulb — Persica's biggest bulbs produce its tallest, most impressive spires, and established plants tend to grow even taller in subsequent years. Plant in autumn in well-drained soil and full sun, setting the bulb on its side rather than upright; fritillaria bulbs have a natural dip in the crown that can collect water and cause rot if planted the "right" way up. Once settled, it's untroubled by deer and rodents, though like other lily-family plants it can attract lily beetle, worth checking for through the season.

At up to a metre tall, it's best given a sheltered spot with sturdy neighbours to lean on, or planted among later-emerging perennials that will hide its foliage as it dies back after flowering. As an ornamental bulb, it isn't intended for eating and is best kept out of reach of pets and children.

This bulb is hand-selected before dispatch. Available from Pengelly Garden Centre.