Primulas 2012

[David Nicholson]

Well worth it Chris. Another one of Mary Robinson's "Auriculas for Everyone', published 2000 by Guild of Master Craftsman Publications. I used it as my "Bible" in my Auricula growing days.

[daveyp1970]

Dave, going from your label it is probably 'Bewerley White' in the x pubescens group. In "Primulas-The Complete Guide" by the late Mary Robinson she says "This was the name given to a batch of seedlings, so there are several variations on the theme. The plant  most commonly available as 'Bewerley White' is pin-eyed and has quite compact leaves well pwdered in farina and loose heads of creamy flowers on 4" (10cm) stems.

Mary Robinson's book was first published in 1990 with a re-print in 1994, published by Crowood and though obviously out of date is still a very useful book. I wish someone would write another like it.

David WOW cheers for that love the background info as well.

[Lesley Cox]

Back in 1993 when I was last in the UK and visited (can't remember his name, you'll know who I mean, a nursery near Pershore) he had and let me have, Primula 'White Linda Pope' as it was then, but also gave me a plant of what he called P. x Pubescens 'White Lady' and said it was much better. I found that to be true because it stayed pure white whereas LP goes the very palest lilac colour when grown outside, as it is here. Unfortunately I have since lost 'White Lady.' She had more typical x Pubescens foliage, without farina and very large flowers, a really outstanding plant. Just remembered, it was Ron Beeston. I had 'Bewerly White' at one stage too. Wonder where that went.

[fleurbleue]

Just to really like them...  http://www.hillviewhardyplants.com/primulas.lasso

[ChrisB]

Lesley,  I think I may have the plant you are describing.  I just got it at the Hexham Show too, from the members stall, sold by the Smethursts.  It's pure white flowers are borne more closely to the foliage, which is quite sticky, indicating the allionii genes.  It is labelled P. allionii x Linda Pope.  Could this be the same plant? 

[David Nicholson]

Nothing as confusing as white Primulas in the naming department.

Here's what Mary Robinson says:-

'White Lady' ".... could be described as a white flowered version of 'Linda Pope'. This vigorous plant has large flattish thrum-eyed flowers, nicely ruffled, in drumstick type heads. There appears to be two forms of this plant in cultivation, one of which seems identical to 'White Linda Pope' "    and,

'White Linda Pope'  A white seedling from Linda Pope named in 1970. The original is believed lost, but occasionally sister seedlings under the same name are available. The plant around at the moment under that name is very slow to give offsets"

Here's what I had as 'White Linda Pope' back in 2006 having bought it un-flowered as 'Linda Pope'. So it was only my assumption that it was 'White Linda Pope'.

Even the more modern varieties cause confusion. A couple of years ago at the South West AGS Show I was chatting to Dave Philby (a doyen of Primula growers and Jon Evans' father-in-law) about a couple of plants of Primula 'Blindsee' on the benches. One was pure white, the other a creamy white. "Are both those right Dave" I said. "No" he replied "only one of 'em is and that ones mine".

[ChrisB]

Not sure mine is the same as yours David.  Mine has definte allionii foliage, very sticky, no farina and no drumstick flower heads.  The stems are within the foliage, as an allionii so they appear just at the tips of the leaves, but it is pure white.  I've got something called Linda Pope, the foliage has large, distinctly toothed, leaves and a lot of farina.  I've yet to flower it....  First two pics are my new acquisition and the last one a pic of what I have as Linda Pope (not necessarily the white form as I've not flowered it).

[ChrisB]

I meant to add, that the label says Ryal, which indicates they probably got it from Ruth Haddon of Ryal Nursery.  Ruth has the National Collection of P. marginata and is a stickler for nomenclature....

[David Nicholson]

Chris, as far as your 'Linda Pope' is concerned Mary Robinson says ".... the leaves have large rounded teeth and are very distinct from the other marginatas....." and yours seems to fit that description. As far as the flowers are concerned she says "The flat, almost blue flowers have a prominent white eye" and "A beautiful plant with large heads of flowers on 6-8 inch stems". I hope it's true but it would be a surprise since it was raised around 1911. Maybe your little white one is an allionii x raised at Ryal. Wonder what the Smethursts bought it as?

[ChrisB]

David, The Smethurst label says P. allionii x Linda Pope and it really is a pure white with no intention of fading to any other colour.  But there's a lot of allionii in it, apart from the slight toothing on the edge.  Can't wait to see the flowers Linda Pope produces.  Only had it one hear and had an infestation of mealy aphids at the roots.  Two doses of Provado seems to now have cured that, and she is growing well and strong now.  By next year should be looking really good.  Do you want a piece if a bit falls off when I'm repotting?

[ruweiss]

The attached picture shows the plant which I got as White Linda Pope many years ago from a fellow rockgardener.
Other plants are P.marginata 'Casterino' and P.carniolica.

[Lesley Cox]

I'd hesitate to give any opinions here as my experience of these whites is very limited. Except to say that what Ron B sold me as "White Linda Pope' is identical to the purple version except for flower colour. The habit, farina on the leaves and the chunky, elephant's ear leves with large, rounded indentations are the same. I still have this plant though have come close to losing it a couple of times.

I don't think yours Chris, is similar to my 'White Lady,' which had beautifully formal flowers, rounded and in drumhead-like bunches, as David's quotation mentions. It started palest creamy white then whitened to pure white with age. There was no stickiness about the foliage so I doubt if allionii was involved.

White LP had always been a holy grail-type plant for me so when RB said 'White Lady' was better, I was very sceptical (under my breath), but he was right, a most beautiful plant.

[Lesley Cox]

Meant to mention that some years ago I gave a plant of the white 'Linda Pope' (doesn't that have a different name now?) to Louise Salmond of Hokonui Alpines. In time Louise raised and sold a few of a white-flowered seedling from it, with heavily farina-ed leaves, a lovely thing which she listed as 'Hokonui White.' Of course I bought it and after the second flowering collected quite a lot of seed which when IT flowered, produced these below. I've since raised a lot of seedlings from these in the picture and hope to have first flowers this coming spring, hoping of course, for a white or two in the second generation. The probably pollinator of 'Hokonui White' though, was my own seedling 'Rose Window' as it was growing immediately beside.

As you see below, 'Hokonui White' starts quite creamy then whitens.

[ChrisB]

Wow, very nice Lesley.  Its so exciting watching flowers open when you've grown them from seed.  I have, in the past, crossed various diascias and grown from seed produced, looking at the creations I've produced gave me a lot of pleasure.  The range of colours in your primulas are amazing.  I think my white one is mostly allionii, but the foliage is not as tight as it is in others, showing the genetic background of Linda Pope a little.  I shall grow it with great interest to see what it does, and I'll contact Ruth to ask her if she knows anything more about it.  She generally comes to our AGS meetings, and I'm sure she'll be at the next as we've got Pam Everleigh speaking.

[ChrisB]

Just went out to take a few pics in the greenhouse.  Its soooo cold today with the wind.  But the primulas are very happy with this climate so I shouldn't grumble.
Primula x ciliata
Primula x pubescens 'Christine'
Primula auricula 'The Baron'
Primula Kusum Krishna