Primula's for Australian Conditions.

 Primula's reasonably easy for Australia.

Primula megasaefolia from the Black Sea coastal area of Turkey in shady gullies and woods at 50-1100m. Finding the right area to grow this Primula in the garden, is most important, they like high shade and not to dry out in Summer, other wise not difficult to grow. You need to watch out for slugs and snails as they love the large Bergenia shaped leaves, they are not quite as large as Bergenia leaves.

Primula x vulgaris white flowers dark foliage. It is very beneficial to dig up your Primula vulgaris, hybrids, doubles and singles after flowering, pull them apart into sections and replant, well before the hot weather. Dig the soil over thoroughly add leaf mulch if you have some, replant the Primula's in the freshly dug over soil. Give them a small sprinkling of chicken pellets or fertiliser and thoroughly water in.

Primula Hallbourn Blue

Primula Juliae

Primula vulgaris

Primula x vulgaris hybrid Pink

Primula Purple Ribband Clover Hill Nursery.

Primula Blue Ribband

Primula x vulgaris hybrid Gentiana Nursery

Primula vulgaris Guinevere pink flowers dark foliage.

Primula x vulgaris ? 

Primula x vulgaris double dark blue Marg's.

Primula x vulgaris Double Pink from Barb in Mardan, Victoria 

Primula x vulgaris double blue grey

Primula x vulgaris double yellow.

Primula nimbuss this photo does not show the true colour of this photo courtesy of Antique Perennials,

it is very unusual colour to say the least, a double mauve-grey colour. Jon very kindly put one on the raffle at one of our meetings, I hope it is growing as well as mine is.

Primula x vulgaris double blue grey.

Primula vulgaris  sub sp. sibthorpii is a good clear pink, this one came from Otto and he has had it for many years , it is from E. Balkan Peninsula. It is one of the first Primula's to flower for me and makes a lovely display late winter. I have divided my plant and put clumps in all the shady parts of the garden. 

I learnt about the man John Sibthorp that this plant was named after, while researching the spelling of the name. John Sibthorp set off on a lengthy botanising trip around Greece with the artist Ferdinand Bauer. They produced a book called Flora Graeca produced and published after Sibthorp's death using money he had left for the publication. The tenth and final part was published but only 75 full sets were ever printed. A digitalised version is available online http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/science/eresources/flora_graeca to see Ferdinand Bauer Illustrations. click on address to take you there.

Primula Lady Green a diminutive little Primula, very hardy here. Lynn's Rare Plants.

Primula petiolaris Gerry Mundey hybrid, Ottos Primula from Essie Huxley Tasmania.

Otto digs these Primula's up every year and replants them. Root aphis can be a big problem, he also makes sure the vine weevil hasn't laid her eggs in the crown of the Primula and the larvae  have not eaten all the roots killing the plants, they love the roots on all Primula's. Flowers below.

Primula boothii var. repens

Primula x Kewensis a hybrid found in Kew Gardens, very hardy in Australian conditions, a plant from the bun fight.

Primula Boothi hybrid

Primula kisoana alba makes a very large spreading patch in a semi shaded position. I used to have a lovely pink form, from Lydia Bartlet but it was lost during the drought.

Primula veris, cow slip Primula very rarely sold in Nurseries, you probably need to raise it from seed and you will get various colours. I forgot to take a photo of mine this is from the web. 

I have not included the Primula auricula and P. allonii as I will do them on another occasion.

I do wish we could get seed of the Primula that I saw in Spain as I think some of them would do well In Australia and take our heat. I will be showing photos and speaking about these Primula and other plants I saw in Spain at our next meeting on 25th November 8.00pm Community House Olinda.