The Wonderful Delights of Primulas

Walking around Birmingham in the depth of winter we have seen rows and rows of primulas being planted in every bed on every park within Birmingham. When the German Market was celebrating Christmas the green leaves occupied the bare soil. Unfortunately they often got in the way of pedestrian traffic walking as the crow flies, but a few months later as we head into spring they are now cascading in a rainbow of  beauty. I am not usually one for the typical bedding style but any colour this time of year is so vital, especially in a concrete jungle. Spring in the countryside is so very different. Being stuck in this city makes you grateful for every speck of spring you wander across. 

Primulas come in so many variations, the classic Primula vulgaris a common plant in native woodlands and one of my mums favorite wild flower reminds me that simplicity is beautiful. Its creamy petals don’t catch your eyes like the fancy modern Primula crescendo series like the photo above, but somehow it makes me remember my childhood which makes me happy. We used to always see cowslips or Primula veris again another common wildflower. Its distinctive tall stems with clumps of little yellow flowers on the end of it offers some variation to the common grassy field.

Primulas love moist but well drained soil either in full sun or partial shade. Either sow seeds in mid spring or summer to plant out in autumn for spring colour. They do tend to grow into large clumps so do split them either after flowering, some say early spring others say autumn. I tend to use a sharp bread knife mine was one that i borrowed from mums kitchen. She didn’t need it any more, but do ask mums permission to take kitchen utensils into the garden as she will not want them back after you have used it to divide plants.