Snake's head fritillaries Fritillaria meleagris
Although they don't generally appear until April, these fragile-looking bulbs with nodding, bell-shaped heads of white or purple, intricately marked with shaded squares, are now widely available in full bloom in garden centres, so if you haven't planted any already you might want to treat yourself to a pot of them for spring.
In fact, the flowers can be admired easily when grown in a pot, with the container placed on a low wall or table. The bulbs should be planted immediately after purchase in the autumn to stop them drying out. They like moist soil, so use loam-based, moisture-retentive compost, planting the bulbs 6cm deep and 3-4cm apart. They look good in groups in the centre of small containers and can also be matched with dwarf narcissi and specie crocus in shallow pans oversown with grass to create a mini meadow in a bowl. If you want to naturalise them in your garden, you'll need to put them in full sun in a damp situation that doesn't dry out in summer. When planting them in open ground, plant them 10cm deep and 5cm apart.