Primula April 2009

[ashley]

The grey leaves with the lemon yellow of the flower head of this primula held so high are really outstanding - I imagine it likes full sun and would love to grow it here?

With me it prefers light shade and to be kept fairly cool but watered sparingly.  There should be abundant seed in due course Robin so PM me with your address if you're interested.

[Ragged Robin]

The grey leaves with the lemon yellow of the flower head of this primula held so high are really outstanding - I imagine it likes full sun and would love to grow it here?

With me it prefers light shade and to be kept fairly cool but watered sparingly.  There should be abundant seed in due course Robin so PM me with your address if you're interested.

Thanks for the offer, Ashley, will be in touch when I've found out more about growing it from seed as I need to provide the right conditions..

[johanneshoeller]

Some for me very interesting Primulas
Primula auricula auricula (wild, Austria) x marginata (leaves from a typical auricula)
Primula auricula ciliata (a very tiny plant from Italy)
A typical seedling of the Austrian auricula in the garden
Primula albenensis

[David Nicholson]

Very nice Hans, I particularly liked your Primula auricula x P. marginata.

[David Nicholson]

A few more Auriculas.

The first is a Border(Garden) Auricula 'Eden Blue Star' which has never been a strong grower for me and is still in a pot.



The only Double Auricula I grow is 'Lincoln Sparkler' and I never seem to be able to get it to flower strongly. Oh!, and it's not as 'fuzzy' as my picture would suggest!



The remaining two I grew from Alpine Auricula seed and as they were not Alpine Auriculas I planted them out in the garden and they seem to have done reasonably well apart from some soil splashes on the frilly pinky/white one.

[Giles]

I remain puzzled with all these primulas!!
I have several 'albenensis' from different sources, and several 'recubariensis' too.
By the strict botanical criteria they are all true, but look very different!!
Anyway, here comes:
P.recubariensis
P. grignensis (not recognised as a distinct species by some authorities)
P. x loiseleurii 'Coy' (from Martijn)

[Giles]

Ashley,
What did you do with your P.simensis over the Winter?
I got rather fed up with mine, and left it out over the cold weather - it survived a foot of snow, and temps down to -15 C -and admittedly I was surprised
it survived at all!
(and it doesn't exactly look as inspiring as yours !!).

[ashley]

Wow Giles - what a daring experiment 
Mine just lurks in a sand tray on the greenhouse floor, out of the way and rather neglected. 
A month or so ago I finally rescued and potted up some seedlings from the sand. 

[Ragged Robin]

Ashley,
What did you do with your P.simensis over the Winter?
I got rather fed up with mine, and left it out over the cold weather - it survived a foot of snow, and temps down to -15 C -and admittedly I was surprised
it survived at all!
(and it doesn't exactly look as inspiring as yours !!).

Well there's hope for me then as if this lovely P simensis can survive all the winter can throw at it then I'll definitely have a go 

[Giles]

Robin - unless you want to be locked up for cruelty to poor innocent plants, I really wouldn't recommend 'my' treatment.
Having seen Ashley's fine plant, I rushed out and rescued it, repotted it, and put it in the greenhouse! 
(and I see my 'name' has changed again  )

[Armin]

Wonderful primulas!
Congratulations!

Enclosed one wild parent of many beautiful garden hybrids - Primula elatior - .
The picture was taken during a trip in the Eifel mountains.

If you like to see more wild Primulas, Pulsatilla, Narcissus ect., please click http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3424.0

[Lesley Cox]

I don't know P. lilacina at all. It looks like a sort of poor man's P. flaccida but I haven't seen the foliage yet. The farina on the stem looks to be outstanding.

[Ragged Robin]

Wonderful primulas!
Congratulations!

Enclosed one wild parent of many beautiful garden hybrids - Primula elatior - .
The picture was taken during a trip in the Eifel mountains.

If you like to see more wild Primulas, Pulsatilla, Narcissus ect., please click http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3424.0

Thanks for posting this image of P elatior in the wild - this is the sort of effect I think would work on my steep, wild, half-sunny, moist bank at the back of our chalet - I love the view up into plants above you as you pass below.. I shall enjoy a trip to your link later Armin

[Ragged Robin]

Robin - unless you want to be locked up for cruelty to poor innocent plants, I really wouldn't recommend 'my' treatment.
Having seen Ashley's fine plant, I rushed out and rescued it, repotted it, and put it in the greenhouse! 
(and I see my 'name' has changed again  )

Giles, I have nothing but goodwill to all plants and it seems you do too; even though they can be very puzzling at times 

[Maggi Young]

(and I see my 'name' has changed again  )

 My, so it has!!

I'm glad you rescued that abused primula , Giles.... not sporting treatment forthe poor thing ..... I believe you have been fortunate to get away with that treatment... I'd have expected it to die overwinter outside.