Prim and proper
Primroses are getting bigger and better, says Peter
WHEN I started work in the horticultural trade, Blackmore & Langdon polyanthus were the standard by which all strains were measured. Their blue-flowered cultivars, in particular, were outstanding and the very best.
Things have changed a lot since then with the introduction of F1 hybrids and the popularity of colourful pot primroses, both as house and garden plants. The measure in the past was an old halfcrown coin and polyanthus flowers of that size were considered outstanding. Today’s 50-pence piece would be the nearest size for this measure.
Flowers on both polyanthus and primroses are more than double that size today, have petals thick enough to withstand rough weather in outdoor series and are much freer flowering. Indeed, the latest Primrose ‘Everlast’, which looks like a wild primrose and is sold as such at some premises, flowers freely from September through the winter and well into summer.
Polyanthus ‘Crescendo’ F1 has served us well in recent years and is the colourful series seen in most parks and public gardens. It now has a contender in Polyanthus ‘Stella’, in 10 different shades including ‘Banana Cream, ‘Pink Champagne and ‘Strawberry Fields’. This has very thick stems to withstand rough weather and unusually in polyanthus, dark-green leaves.
This dark-green, almost bronze leaf colour is a good indicator for winter hardiness, as in the Primrose ‘Wanda’ cultivars and now the stunning Primrose
“Flowers are more than double size”
‘Alaska’ F1. There are, of course, many different series and cultivars of colourful primroses sold for short-term colour.
The cheapest will be in very small pots, and if you are looking for garden decoration then the larger sizes of pots are well worth the higher price. Get the fully double, very large flowered Primrose ‘Belarina’ in 4in (11cm), and even better 5in (13cm) pots for stunning plants both indoors in the cool and outdoors.