Primula-February to April 2008

[Gerdk]

Nothing really spectacular, just accompanying my crocus blossom - primula vulgaris in my lawn.
I like this early, pale yellow, late winter/spring flower.
Spreading easily through seed and with the help of ants.

Armin, is this Primula vulgaris of a known wild origin? I never saw such pale plants in the Alps for instance.

Gerd

[Lesley Cox]

Armin, how do you get on for mowing the lawn, with primroses growing in it. No problem for crocuses once they start to die down but the prims will be making new leaves through the late spring and summer. Do you shear them off?

[Armin]

Hi Gerd,
the primula pictures were taken in full sun. My digicam is not the best in color re-production. 
I purchased them from a nursery.
I've seen wild populations in Swiss close to Le Mont sur Lausanne and another close to Garmisch Partenkirchen which look exactly the same when comparing.

Hi Lesley,
I mow my lawn not before eof May, after crocus got dormant, right. I shear the grass not shorter than 7cm (2.75in.). This saves most of the primulas leaves being cut-off and they quickly recover.
The seed vessels lie already down on the soil and are not cut-off. Ants help to distribute the seed then.
That works quite well!

[Lesley Cox]

Thank you Armin. I'm not sure we could get away with May mowing here. Most mowing starts in (the southern equivilent of) March or even as early as February. Some areas around the town which have daffodils planted are left until (t s e o) late April.

[Armin]

Lesley,
I see. My timings refer to the northern hemisphere only.

[Gerdk]

Here are two pics of my favorite Primula species

1.  Primula marginata 'Casterino' found by Bernd Wetzel - which is reputed to be   one of  the best whites

2.  marginatas in a trough     

Gerd                   

[Lvandelft]

Here are two pics of my favorite Primula species

1.  Primula marginata 'Casterino' found by Bernd Wetzel - which is reputed to be   one of  the best whites

That is a beauty, Gerd!  Never seen before.

[Gerdk]

Luit,
I got it about two years ago from Harry Jans of Loenen. He conserved this clone while it was lost here in Bernd Wetzel's garden after he passed away.

Gerd

[David Nicholson]

A few Primula from the greenhouse today:-

The first-P. allionii 'Nightingale'
Followed by P. pubescens 'Peggy'
and then a couple of shots of P. marginata 'Caerulea'
and two more of P. marginata 'Beverley Reid'

[David Nicholson]

.... and a few more:-

a couple of shots of Primula marginata 'Dwarf Form'
Primula 'Mars'- (not as good as the Blackpool plant Mick!)
P. 'Aire Waves'
Then a couple of P. 'Blue Wave' that in Primula Shows is sometimes shown as a Primula pubescens and sometimes as a Border Auricula.
and finally a couple of shots of a yellow Juliana-possibly a cross between Primula juliae and Primula vulgaris.

[Paul T]

Excellent pics David. 

[David Nicholson]

Here are two pics of my favorite Primula species

1.  Primula marginata 'Casterino' found by Bernd Wetzel - which is reputed to be   one of  the best whites

2.  marginatas in a trough     

Gerd                   

Gerd, if ever you have an offset of your P. marginata 'Casterino' and you don't know what to do it, I could find a home for it!

[David Nicholson]

Excellent pics David. 

Thank you Paul.

[Mick McLoughlin]

Nice pics David thanks for sharing

[Lesley Cox]

Wonderful foliage on the P. m. `Caerulea' David. You wouldn't want to sneeze near it