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Despite the title, I’d describe these flowers as ‘pretty and wild’, since Primula vulgaris is the primrose, a wildflower which grows in woodlands and meadows. The wild primrose is also a welcome early spring flower in many gardens. It likes the semi-shade at the foot of hedges, so is a great plant to grow below deciduous shrubs and in other partly-shaded places. In my eyes, it’s prettier than the more brightly-coloured primula hybrids and I find it easier to blend into the existing planting in my garden.
A friend gave me several clumps of this primrose from her own garden last year. Some have been planted out to join the primulas already in the garden. Others were potted up to plant later on, after I have finished splitting and moving other plants around. All are flowering happily! They harmonise well with, and flower at the same time as, the mix of cream and darker yellow daffodils growing here. (I will need to add some blue flowers for the best effect. What a good excuse for buying more plants!)
Wild primroses were common along roadside verges when I was a child and I can still remember my delight at the sight of these pale yellow flowers. There were not a lot of flowers to be seen in the gardens of the ‘far north’ of Scotland in those days, so finding pretty flowers growing in the wild was an experience to value. I don’t know if they grow there still, but here (in Suffolk) I see them in the wild only occasionally. It’s good to know that they are growing and thriving in many gardens, where they provide an early source of nectar for the first of the year’s bees and butterflies. 🐝
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 
wild and better, in my opinion!
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And in mine too… 🙂
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Where we lived near Boxford until last year many of the lanes were lined with primroses. Round here where we are now there are more cowslips but you still get primroses too.
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That’s interesting – Boxford isn’t far from us. I have seen primroses and cowslips along Suffolk lanes. I think I notice them less these days because I’m usually in a car, whereas I was often on foot or on a bicycle when I was a kid. And, obviously, the more major roads are less likely to have primroses growing beside them. (I need to walk along country lanes more often! 🙂 )
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We cycle a lot and Suffolk is wonderful for llttle lanes with not much traffic. Plenty of primroses and cowslips on these lanes.
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LOL, we’ve managed to get a bit lost on some of those lanes! Unfortunately, we don’t usually get out for walks until a bit later in the year – a habit we should really change.
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The Latin feminine prima meant ‘first,’ and the diminutive primula meant ‘the very first,’ hence the name of the flowers you’ve presented a pretty picture of.
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Well, they may not be the first flowers here, but they’re certainly early!
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The natural ones are the best, pale yellow and pale rose. Much nicer than the gaudy primulas.
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Agreed, Jude! Those are definitely my favourites! I seem to be gradually going towards a softer, more natural look in the garden… 🙂
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I, too, love the wild primroses. I’ve never noticed exactly when they’re most in bloom here in Southeast Florida, but they are such a delight to the eyes.
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Ours are blooming for a good length of time. They’ve outlasted the daffodils and it will be interesting to see how much longer they can last.
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Enjoy them!☺️
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If I were a bee or butterfly, I would definitely visit these pretty primulas (or is it primulae?). 🐝🦋
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So would I Tanja! (The RHS uses ‘primulas’, so I’m happy to go with that one. 🙂 )
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Our pink evening primrose is a different genus and species: Oenothera speciosa. I’ve never thought about it, but now I’m wondering if some gave it that common name because of an imagined resemblance to the primroses in your area. Maybe they missed them; there’s not a single Primula species native to Texas. Too bad — these creamy flowers are gorgeous.
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That’s an interesting thought – the yellow of the more usual evening primroses is a very similar hue, so maybe that inspired the name. (My primroses vary between a definite yellow and a creamy, almost-white.)
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Beautiful, a sure sign that spring is here.
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Thank you! Signs of spring are very welcome – it’s the most hopeful time of year! 🙂
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There are quite a lot of primroses growing wild in the verges around here, and my auntie has some in her garden. A sure sign spring is coming at last.
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It’s great that they still grow in the wild in your area…a lovely sight to see! 🙂
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