Gardening: Prim, proper Primulas
When thinking "winter garden", the vibrant palette offered to us by Primula malacoides (Fairy Primrose) and its cousin Primula acaulis (English Primrose) are among the first thoughts that come to mind.
Both malacoides and acaulis belong to the Primulaceae family, originating in the northern hemisphere, and indigenous to Europe and much of Southeast Asia, but thanks to the work of breeders, Primulas are now thriving across the globe.
The name Primula is derived from the feminine diminutive of the Latin word “primus”, meaning first, because they are among the first of the spring plants to flower. These are tough, hardworking plants that need little attention once established. They even have a built in defence mechanism in the form of a chemical called primulin, particularly prevalent in P. abconica and malacoides which is deposited on their leaves by tiny hairs and can cause nausea and skin irritations, in more sensitive people.
Despite their delicate appearance, Primulas are hardy plants. Pictures: Supplied.
Breeders have all but eliminated this in our modern day hybrids though, so much so that very few suffer an extreme reaction, if any at all.
Planted en masse, the versatile Primula malacoides creates a sea of blooms that gives a real wild flower feel to your garden but they’ll work equally well as border plants and in containers. Fairy Primrose is available in white, crimson, lavender, purple, pink and rose.
When preparing their beds, dig a healthy amount of compost into the soil to give them a proper head start and try ensure the spot you’ve chosen gets some morning sun but then adequate shade for the rest of the day. Primulas don’t like to dry out, so keep the soil moist and pop a 5cm layer of mulch on top to help keep the moisture in longer.
– Bedding Plant Growers Association.
