Crown Imperial (Fritillaria imperialis)

• Plant bulbs on their sides to help to avoid water collecting in their hollow crowns and prevent the bulbs from rotting.
• Fritillaria plants resent being dug up and moved so for best results plant where they will remain.
  

Planting Advice:

• Plant 30cm (12in) deep from September to November in fertile, well-drained soil, and keep an eye out for slug and snail damage when the new foliage is emerging in spring.
• Plants benefit from early morning sun then light shade in the afternoon.
• Avoid heavy clay or anywhere where water sits.
• Heavy soil can be improved with the addition of sharp sand or horticultural grit.
• Add 1cm of coarse sand to the planting hole before placing the bulbs pointed end up. 

Aftercare Advice:

• When growing fritillaries, it is essential to allow their foliage to die back naturally as this will feed the bulb for the following year.
• During their dormant period the soil should be kept almost dry to prevent the bulbs from rotting. Begin watering sparingly as the bulbs start back into active growth.
• After flowering has finished, trim off spent blossoms. The stalks will dry and then can be removed. 

Trimming Advice for Fritillaries:

• Leave stems to turn brown before trimming back to the base. This will ensure that nutrients have been returned to the bulb for next season.

Please allow us 3-5 working days to dispatch your order. Pre-ordered items will be sent as soon as possible after the date quoted and we'll generally ship your entire order with your pre-ordered items. When your order is dispatched, we'll send you another email with details of how to track it.

Most orders are sent on a fully-tracked courier service with Yodel. To avoid perishable items being stuck at depots and deteriorating, no signature is required, and our courier is asked to leave your order in a safe place on your property.

We'll send a tracking link when we dispatch your order, so you know when its due to arrive. Please note, once delivered we cannot be held responsible for loss or theft from your property. If you have any specific delivery instructions, please let us know - there's an option to enter a short message for the courier at the checkout.

Smaller, lighter, single-item orders may be sent through the post with Royal Mail - in which case no tracking is available.

Our experienced nursery team will always send your plants nursery fresh in the perfect condition to thrive when you plant them, so although most plants are very tough and will not be affected by all but the most extreme frosts or heatwaves, we avoid dispatching the most perishable plants if extreme weather is forecast, or over Bank Holiday weekends.

Please note, we cannot guarantee delivery on a certain day or time. Delivery to outlying postcode areas may take 1-2 days longer, dependent on your location.