GARDENER'S READING ROOM
The Art of Gardening
Annuals
Perennials

Primroses

As the bleakness of winter hovers over the Puget Sound, even the most dedicated gardeners avoid working outdoors. The ideal winter color plant needs to maintain a compact shape and flower production with minimal care or grooming. Primroses meet that ideal, providing a cheerful splash of color that most gardens and flowerpots lack this time of year.

Primroses' botanical name 'Primula' is derived from the Latin root "primus", meaning first, in honor of their early flowers. This flower has long been treasured for signaling the first arrival of spring. Primroses' thick green leaves stand up to cool temperatures and their bright colors suggest sunny days to come. They are perfect for pots and are important as spring and early-summer landscape perennials.

The hardy annuals seen at the start of the year are actually hybrids of about three to four species. They are really a taxonomic free-for-all because breeders are constantly developing more vibrant colors, larger flowers, and more compact plants. These primroses will often bloom continuously from late fall to mid spring. Sky sells them as annuals, but some will rebloom for several years.

	P. vialli

Aside from these hardy annual hybrids, there are over four hundred species of primroses, many of which are perennial. Most flourish in cool climates with ample moisture. English Primroses (Primula vulgaris) are reliably hardy and come in a variety of colors. The Drumstick Primrose (P. denticulata) has rounded flowers on 6- 12" stems. P. japonica, the Candelabra Primrose, hosts whorls of blooms on 18-24" stems. This variety lends itself to woodland settings and water features, and blooms in early summer. P. vialli has spiked violet flower heads from scarlet match-like calyces. The new kid on the block is P. capitata, which blooms June to September with deep to mid-blue scabiosa-like flowers. And not to be forgotten is P. auricula with its succulent leaves and bright-eyed, fragrant flowers.

Whether annual or perennial, primroses make a beautiful addition to any garden. Their many varieties - and the little attention they require! - make them ideal choices for any gardener. Primroses are the bright light at the end of the tunnel, signaling that even winter can't last forever.

P. auricula	P. denticulata	P. vulgaris

By Heather Small & Katy Lockwood
Skylights Spring 2007 Vol. 22, No. 1

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