Re: Re:Primula sieboldii was:Congrats, Gene!

Hello Marge & Kitty,
I once took a course called Psychology One.... in it the study of prejudice was introduced. About how a fear or bad experience goes from specific to general. Think that has happened so many times with Primula. Gardeners begin with the "wrong" species or hybrid in the candelabras that they see along side streams and most places... and fail for they do not have the pond or stream. Then all primula will not grow in their garden. Not all primula have the same needs. hard to get that one through and have it sink in solid. There is at a very minimum one whole sections of primula that will do just fine, thank you, in the woodland garden with average to good soil that has some humus. They are not hard to grow and seed about when happy, or simply gently spread into a decent matt over time. Such a wonderful late winter and early spring flowering plant that gets missed out on because someone say and English gardening photo before they saw what will grow in the average garden here in the eastern US.

Gene E. Bush
Munchkin Nursery & Gardens, llc
www.munchkinnursery.com
genebush@munchkinnursery.com
Zone 6/5 Southern Indiana

----- Original Message ----- From: "Marge Talt" <mtalt@clubhouse-designs.com>
From: kmrsy@comcast.net
I'm sure one reason my primroses didn't make it was moisture. But

since

that time I've installed a waterinf system that might cater to

their

needs better.

----------

Well, the candelabras want it soggy to be happy, which other
residents of your borders might not like, but the woodland species
just want decently moist soil.   P. kisoana is quite nifty with its
fuzzy leaves and thrives in leaf mulch in light shade under trees and
shrubs.  It doesn't go dormant like P. sieboldii; at least mine has
not and P. sieboldii does, watered or not.   I got P. vulgaris 'Blaue
Auslese' from Gene back in '96 and it's been doing just fine in a
regular border in the woodland garden - soil is rotted woodchips and
it's gotten a bit dry now and again, but this one still returns
faithfully and blooms its lil' head off.   I keep meaning to get some
more P. vulgaris - they do go dormant early but bloom very early in
spring.

I have one that I got many years ago at a wildflower sale as
'primrose'...finally was able to ID it from Pam Harper's "Time Tested
Plants" as P. x variabilis, a hybrid between the primrose and
cowslip, found in England where these plants grow together.  It is
absolutely tough as nails; has lived in a bed under a maple tree for
well over 20 years now with virtually total neglect.  I get around to
dividing some of them every once in a while, but not as often as I
really ought to.  Flower is a lovely pale yellow with a darker yellow
eye; a dozen or more on foot high stalks;  comes on early, like April
for me and lasts for a month.  If you ever run across it, grab it -
it is about foolproof.  Well, a photo is worth a lot of verbiage so
uploaded one.

http://www.mtalt.hort.net/prim/primula-x-variabilis-clump-276x211.jpg

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland

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