Modern primroses belie their humble woodland origins, says Fred Whitsey
IN our urban society, few people these days ever see primroses, the best-loved of wild flowers, growing along hedgerows. Yet millions of brightly coloured versions of these plants are offered for sale in garden centres and supermarkets, on market stalls and outside greengrocers' shops.
In their natural habitat, primroses become obscured by more robust herbage after they have flowered, as though their leaves no longer need the light. In gardens, they wax fat and bear such cabbagey foliage through summer that they can serve as ground cover.
Some doubles have survived for nearly two centuries, and used to be so rare that they were known only from plants passed hand to hand by primrose connoisseurs. The 19th century was the heyday of the primrose, and records show that of the multitudes of varieties raised at that time, together with others of more recent vintage, more than 300 are still known today. All of them arise from the shy, humble little hedgerow flower, although it's important to remember that today's immense variation in colour, from white to purple, is attributed to its marriage with others of its kind.
A vast gulf exists between the gaily coloured primroses on sale everywhere just now, and those cherished so lovingly by people who take their primrose-growing seriously and collect stock. The former are not sufficiently tough to spend all their lives out of doors, hardiness having been sacrificed to flamboyance.
The size of the flowers has doubled. Many have centres with prominent contrasting colours and often the petals have two-tone colour schemes. They may not be suited to a permanent outdoor life, but they do have a role to play and are eagerly welcomed as springtime tub and window-box plants. The other day, I saw a whole series of the latter cunningly grouped by combining hot-coloured primroses with golden-variegated ivy. It was impossible not to stop and stare: houseplant primroses have a brief, if hectic, life and, on windowsills, they need more care than most other indoor flowering plants. Perhaps they look back ruefully to their country origins.
It is the long-enduring series of outdoor primroses, however, that excite the curious, animate the primrose-fancier and prove so valuable to those who like to grow plants that have a fascinating flowering season but can also be put to work at other times of the year.
From one of the best plant monographs, Primroses and Polyanthus, by Peter Ward (see below), I learned that most of the named varieties on sale among the "alpines" in garden centres and from specialist growers have been around a long time - which shows what tough garden plants they can be in careful hands. Some are technically polyanthus, which have several flowers in a cluster instead of one to a stem, as do true primroses. However, for garden cultivation, the distinction is of little account.
There is the redoubtable magenta-purple "Wanda", which took the gardening world by storm in the early days of the last century. Or the well-named "Snow Cushion" vies for neatness against the ivory "Lady Greer". "Kinlock Beauty", coral-coloured and typifying the pink primroses, once aroused delight in connoisseurs. And there is "Garyade Guinevere", that determined survivor with leaves of bronze and strong lilac flowers.
Of the doubles, "Marie Crousse" has endearing flowers of deep mauve, lightly flecked with silver, and also bearing silver markings is "Miss Indigo"- actually a deep violet colour.
Where should they be planted? There is no better place than as a groundwork for old roses. Or perhaps between herbaceous plants that keep to themselves, such as phlox or peonies.
Where to buy
Plants by mail order from Bernwode Plants, The Thatched Cottage, Duck Lane, Ludgershall, Aylesbury HP18 9XZ. Catalogue £2 posted.
Weekend readers can buy 35 Primula 'Wanda' plug plants in a selection of colours for only £10 (including p & p), and receive 15 free, from The Telegraph Garden Service, Primula Offer, PO Box 89, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex TN38 9ZX. Cheques/postal orders are payable to Telegraph Garden Service, or call 01424 797888. Offer ends August 2001, subject to availability. Delivery September 2001 onwards.
How to grow
As garden plants, primroses (bought in a garden centre, not dug up from the wild) enjoy a lightly shaded place where compost has been added to the ground to keep it cool and moist.
Whether singles or doubles, lift and divide the plants frequently in late spring or early autumn to regenerate them. Some root from the stems and need a knife to divide the rootstock, but others can be pulled apart. Make a hole deep enough to take the long white roots at full stretch and lean the plant against the side.
As windowsill plants, primroses need a light position but not direct sunlight, which can quickly shrivel the flowers. Stand the pot in a bowl full of water, allowing the plant to take up what it needs to keep the foliage turgid.
Primroses and Polyanthus, by Peter Ward (Batsford) is available from our
retail partner Amazon at the special price of £21.25. Click here to order a
copy online.
-- Anonymous, March 06, 2001