 |
| The wild primrose - Primula vulgaris. Creative Commons |
It is the time of the primrose. That pale lemon flower of the woods. The bright harsh colours of the cultivated primula I can walk past with barely a glance but the little wild primrose has a yellow that always calls back to you.
Yet I have never owned an Auricula primrose theatre. Why do these plants need coddling? it is because their 'mealy' surfaced flowers don't like rain. As always W. Robinson - The English Flower Garden 1895 describes more accurately.
"The florists' favourites are distinguished by the dense mealy matter with which the parts of the flower are covered
they are divided by florists into four sections - green edged, gray edged,, white edged and selfs. In the green-edged varieties the 'gorge' or the throat of the flower is usually yellow or yellowish; this is surrounded by a ring varying in width, of white powdery matter, which is surrounded by a ring of some dark colour and beyond this is a green edge..."At one stage in history probably from the 18th century, an auricula theatre in the yard of terraced houses was often kept, a bit like keeping pigeons I suppose.
Delving further into primroses, brings to mind Gertrude Jekyll, and her description of a "the Primrose garden in season a river of gold and silver flowering through a copse of silver stemmed young birch for a hundred yards or more"
and to read on.... the primroses were the celebrated Munstead Strain developed by crossing the variety Golden Plover with a very pale, almost white polyanthus found in a cottage garden, see below.
and to read on.... the primroses were the celebrated Munstead Strain developed by crossing the variety Golden Plover with a very pale, almost white polyanthus found in a cottage garden, see below.
Taken from the Gardener's Essential - Gertrude Jekyll
Through the years I had collected the beautiful Barnhaven primroses, their double petalled plants in blue and other colours here but no more. But then my daughter's new partner produced parent gardeners in their Jungle garden and there at the bottom of the quarry was the famous, well to me at least, the delicate Candelabra primulas, happily settling themselves into the damp earth.
 |
| Anne Cotterill. Artists can even paint them ;) |
Candelabra primroses remind me of my parents. The most delicate of all, though, are the wild primroses, with their indefinable shade of pale yellow.
ReplyDeleteIt was Steve Reed that reminded of the primrose season. As you say the wild primrose is the most beautiful of the large species of the primula tribe. It's paleness has a luminosity under dappled light. Similar I suppose to the bluebell whose colour changes under dappled light.
ReplyDeleteNice to read a blogpost about primroses. A clump of them caught my eye in Sheffield Botanical Gardens just last week. They are worthy of attention and yet not as celebrated as snowdrops or daffodils.
ReplyDeleteThey are just as much a flower of the graveyard as the daffodil or snowdrop Neil and incredibly delicate.
DeleteThose certainly are lovely pictures of primroses. Too early for flowers here so it's nice to keep seeing them on blogs now.
ReplyDeleteYes Ellen there is such relief when the first signs of Spring come round, though the weather can be pretty cold in February and March.
DeleteI had a small Auricula theatre at Ynyswen. Not here though. I have wild Primroses all on my banks (not through yet) but lots along the Holly hedge in the front. I loved that painting - the primroses and speedwells are in a little Torquay Pottery jug.
ReplyDeleteThe painter has caught the colour of primroses. more so than the photo at the top of the page. I see your eagle eye has named the potter of the vase, it is a pretty arrangement.
DeleteYour analogy between an auricula theatre and keeping pigeons amused me. The flower photos are very nice.
ReplyDeleteThe industrial workers lived in terraced houses with small paved back yards. Fitting a pigeon roost or a side cupboard for auriculas was a matter of space I suppose Andrew.
Delete