Hallo Spring

Primroses for everyone

Ever heard about the Phenology Calandar? There are actually 10 seasons, winter, early spring, spring, late spring, early summer, summer, late summer, early fall, fall and late fall. The Phenology Calander will tell us when we enter each season, depending upon the signs of nature. Where I live, in the middle of Europe, the early spring starts late February with Primroses (Primulas) and Snowdrops (Galanthus). The stores are full of Primroses in every color – and once established in our garden, you will get more every year. When the Primroses shows up – you know it’s time to welcome the spring.

Your Lena

Which one to choose

This won’t be an easy choice – there are over 500 different species, in all colors, filled or not filled and often very cheap. I normally only buy the white ones and plant them in pots for the first year. At the end of the season, I re-planted them into the garden. The Primroses are hardy and easy to care for, choose with your heart and plant them in groups or in combinations with other spring flowers.

How to get more

Let nature take care of it – insects, mainly aunts collects the seeds and drops them on the way – you get new colors!
Divide them after blooming end May. You get the same color.
Collect the seeds and sow indoors or under glass in spring or sow into a cold frame in fall. Seed needs light to germinate. You will in most cases get a new color.

Where they feel like home

Primroses thrives and sprouts the best in well drained soil, but you will also have success in a soil with a base of clay, chalk, loam or sand. I have a large number of Primroses planted in clay soil, around my Syringas. During the summer, it’s never too hot or dry, and in winter and early spring, this is the area where they first pop-up thanks to the surrounding walls and full sun during the winter.