Purple and Pall

Isn't this the perfect colour for Good Friday? When I found I had a damp garden, my first thought was that I would be able to grow these snake's head fritillaries, Fritillaria meleagris. So I was delighted to find a clump here already. The fritillary with Easter connections is the Crown Imperial, Fritillaria imperialis. When you lift up the heavy head you see what look like beads of moisture permanently inside. The legend is that the proud plant refused to bow its head as Christ passed by and as a result has been weeping ever since. Sadly, I can't find a decent picture of one.