Looks very much like a poet's narcissus. I've never seen one with that many petals. When the foliage yellows I would dig up the bulbs and work bonemeal or superphosphate into the soil. This is one of my favorite daffs but likes more winter chill than we receive. I don't know why the buds dry up.

I agree, it would definitely be a ringneck snake, and it is probably full grown. They are very small snakes. As Lisa said, they are harmless and very beautiful. Marcia

I've had swaths of Jewel weed encroaching on my garden year in, year out for 27 years. It's impossible to get rid of and I consider it a bit of a pest as it consumes much time to pull out (luckily it pulls real easy) so it doesn't take over. Seems funny to me that you're planting seeds. One man's treasure..... :)

If I were in that situation, I would fill the pumps container with water to flush him out. then immeadiatly apply a screen before he could get back in. Then set up some type of area in the yard to hold water for his use somewhere els if that is why he goes in there. If he is just looking for shelter then maybe a small wood pile in the back of the yard or something like that. I spotted my first snake her a few weeks ago. It was a black racer. Been here 5 years and that is all I have seen. I go looking for him every day now but no luck seeing him again. I hope to have better luck once I put in a frog pond!