Re: [SG] Tiarella Heuchera / Now Primula

Hello Betty,
        I could not help but notice the remark about primroses requiring boggy or
damp areas to thrive. There is a species or hybrid for almost all habitats.
I have been playing with Primrose here in the garden for a few years now
and have been successful with a few species that are dependable and thrive
without any special effort.
My foremost favorite is Primula sieboldii, the Japanese Woodland Primula.
When we go into the hot and dry of August and Sept they just go dormant
until next spring. Absolutely gorgeous flowers and one could almost write a
book about this one species and its hybrids. Next would probably be the P.
veris or English Cowslip. Since it sets buds in the fall you can get
scattered yellow flowers over the evergreen foliage in February warm-ups.
Best performance is in March. Halfway decent soil in open shade does the
trick. Primula vulgaris is an easy one with numerous flower colors and
treat it the same as the veris. Also give the P. kisoana a try. Leaves
resembling an African Violet with reddish stems and white or pink flowers.
These like to spread by underground runner, so to keep them looking good
some lawn edging buried keeps them in a showy "clump".
        If you do insist upon growing the moisture lovers simply build a frame
(raised bed) around a child's wadding pool and fill it full of sand and
compost. Water once and forget. The pool can also be buried and lined with
stone to hid the lip. Punch holes around the pool just below the lip for
drainage so the fill will not float out in heavy rains.
        Gene Bush     Southern Indiana    Zone 6a     Munchkin Nursery
          around the woods - around the world
genebush@otherside.com     http://www.munchkinnursery.com

----------
> From: Betty Barrows, Kinderhook, NY <Betbarr@AOL.COM>
> This is for all those interested in information on plants from THE
PRIMROSE
> PATH.  Martha Oliver taught an elderhostel workshop on perennial
gardening and
> we spent hours in the Oliver garden - I was so impressed with the primula
> which are Charles' special pride, but don't have the boggy or damp area
they
> seem to require.  Lucky those of you who do!
snip.......
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