Day 171: A close cousin to our native Chocolate Lily, Fritillary Lily (aka Checkered Lily) is an early blooming garden cultivar. It bears a slightly larger flower than the native species, and to my everlasting joy, lacks the distinctive scent which can only be likened to that of a bordello on a busy night. Never mind what nickname my husband and I gave to the natives which grew in the yard of our SW Washington prairie home! Suffice to say, if it had not been for the unusual pattern of colour in the flowers, I would not have chanced planting these here. I was prepared to tear them out if they were odiferous. That said, the checkering of the flower is such an unusual genetic development that when they bloom, I always wonder what advantage it gives the species. I love to have curiosities in my garden and am glad these turned out to be scentless.
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