Primula July

[Giles]

Primula walshii
Bought from Aberconwy Nursery earlier this year.
The Lever's can claim 99% of the credit
-but the slug pellets are all my own work(!)
It's tiny. In a 2 1/2 inch pot.
Giles

[David Nicholson]

That's a little beauty.

[Giles]

My P.poissonii has opened a bit more while I've been away....

[Giles]

There follows some of the things I've just brought back from Scotland.
A case of photograph them quick before they die.

1. P.obtusifolia
2. P.capitata
3. P.sikkimensis

[Giles]

P.florindae 'Ray's Ruby'
P.gemmifera

Giles

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Don't be overpessimistic Giles ! 
Some are bound to survive   
They look very good - good choices you made too !

[Lesley Cox]

Of course they won't die! And at least some will set seed in the meantime.

The first is a little honey. I don't know that name at all. Can you say something about it please?

[Giles]

You do ask such difficult questions!!
John Richards in his book seems quite uncertain as to where this plant sits in the Primula genus, but settles for the section Minutissimae, as does Halda.
So it belongs with P.annulata,P.candicans,P.flagellaris,P.glandulifera,P.minutissima,P.muscoides,P.praetermissa,P.reptans,P.rimicola,P.rubicunda,P.spathulifolia,P.stirtoniana,
P.subularia,P.tenella,P.tenuiloba and P.waddellii.
There isn't a picture of it in Richards's book, but there is at:
http://www.primulaworld.com/
Distribution:Sikkim,Bhutan,South Tibet
High dry passes,dry sparsely vegetated slopes, 4000-5000m
I didn't ask Dr Lever (at Aberconwy Nursery) where he got his seed from, but its not available from anyone else as far as I know .

Although I joke re slug pellets, it remains intact. The P.amethystina I also got from him is being shredded by slugs, despite the plant being at risk of being subjected to slug pellet poisoning. The plant only cost 3 or 4 pounds, and I feel even if it dropped dead now I would have got value for money out of it - yet it remains a picture of health!!!

re. 'heaven' , I think that's a one way trip.
Unfortunately I came back again!

Giles

[Giles]

I did wonder about whether to include this, as it shows the extent of my profligacy.....
A spot of watering in the hotel carpark at Thurso!

[Lesley Cox]

I did wonder about whether to include this, as it shows the extent of my profligacy.....
A spot of watering in the hotel carpark at Thurso!

Well done Giles. VERY well done.

[Lesley Cox]

P.annulata,P.candicans,P.flagellaris,P.glandulifera,P.minutissima,P.muscoides,P.praetermissa,P.reptans,P.rimicola,P.rubicunda,P.spathulifolia,P.stirtoniana, P.subularia,P.tenella,P.tenuiloba and P.waddellii.

Oh, one of those. All seeding madly around my perfect patch.
I'm well aware that hell can be on earth, so why not heaven?

[Paul T]

Great primulas everyone.  I just love that capitata (amongst others).  So perfect!!

[ranunculus]

Is anyone still growing that most beautiful of primulas; P. reptans?
I once grew a 30 ctms potful that managed about eight purple blooms nestling down in the miniscule dryas-like foliage. I would LOVE to try this gem again if only I could source a plant!

[Giles]

Dear Cliff,
I would certainly telephone the nurseries:
Christie's               01575 572977
Edrom                   01890 771386
Kevock                  0131 454 0660
Lamberton              01289 308515
Cluny House           01887 820795

I found they had allsorts of stuff not neccessarily on their websites,lists or even on display in the main nursery.
They were happy to come up with all manner of lovely stuff, such as P.tangutica,P.deuteronana,P.nipponica,P.obtusifolia -
in some cases digging up plants on the spot to offer divisions (our President !)
There's far more in the way of primulas out there than it is possible to afford or have room to bring back.
I'm sure they will be helpful .
The nurseries' kindness and generosity was very much part of the happiness of my trip.

Giles

[Carlo]

"Most beautiful?" Wow. That would be a tough thing to decide. If I had to list one that I'd love to try growing...right now...it would be Primula aureata.

I'll have to go look up reptans now...