A small group. The white is a natural variant which occurs in the wild.

A close up.

How beautiful!

I planted 6 each of the plain and the alba form of these 8 years ago. I had only one of the alba forms bloom just once in all those years, and all the others sent up single leaf blades which multiplied to little groups of single blades over the years.
This year, 2 of the common and 2 of the alba are budded and should open in a week or so. I have no idea what changed to bring them along, but I am anxiously waiting for them as I love the look of these beautiful plants.

They love to live in damp conditions. Did you have a wet summer last year? The meadow in the picture is right beside a river and floods occasionally. It has ample soil moisture but is not boggy. I have a few in my garden but they are martyrs to slugs and snails which like to chew off the flowers just before they open.

What a beautiful springtime sight, nice to see them growing healthy in the wild.
I'll second the damp soil, mine practically grow in mud and seem happiest there, multiplying and clumping up nicely.

Damp soil eh?
Maybe that is it and why they have not been happy. I had assumed they would be like the american frits which almost insist on sharp drainage, especially in winter. My soil is a very loose loam overlying a bed of essentially decayed schist with very rapid drainage

â¢Posted by floral_uk 8/9 (My Page) on Sat, Apr 19, 14 at 13:20

I assume that beautiful area is protected by swarms of mosquitos.

The meadow is protected by law and people, not insects. There are very few mosquitoes - they are not a problem here. Might see one or two on a summer evening.

OH MY how lovely