AT ST BRIDGET WE LOVE OUR PRIMROSES

We’re holding a Primrose Festival this year. Come and see our lovely Primroses In the February half-term (11th-28th February 2023) and vote for your favourite for a chance to win our Primrose Festival Prize draw*.

We’ve over 30 different varieties of Primula (that’s the Botanical name for Primroses and Polyanthus) for your garden this Spring.

Primula are fantastic little plants that have found niche’s throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere and almost half of the known species are from the Himalaya’s, so they’re tough enough for a Devon Winter!

What is in a name? – Prima Rosa

From the Latin meaning the first rose (ok – technically it’s not a rose, but you can’t blame a girl for trying!). Primula are among the first flowers of Spring so what’s not to like about that!

Devonshire’s ‘National’ Flower – Primula Vulgaris, commonly known as the native primrose is a hardy perennial that paints a carpet of cream and green across our meadows, banks and hedgerows every springtime.

And the reason why Primrose thrive in Devon? Our mild maritime climate! Such is the love that we have for this plant that in a 2002 poll conducted by Plant-Life we voted it The Flower of Devon.

The Victorians certainly fell for the Primrose, in the 19^th Century ‘language of flowers’ to send a bouquet of Primrose meant, ‘I can’t live without you’.

A Primula for every spot

As well as our native primrose and the ornamental hybrids we have in our Primrose Festival, here are some more Primula to look out for this year.

Primula veris – The humble Cowslip, part of our Wild-Flower Range and great for meadow’s or your garden’s re-wilding patch. We stock our Wild-flower range from Spring to Autumn.

Primula beesiana, the Chinese candelabra Primula – these are great for boggy spots and we stock them as part of our range of plants for ponds (in fish friendly growing media) which we stock in Spring and Summer.

Primula viallii – fancy something a bit different? – this dramatic little ‘Red-Hot’ Primula is best for woodland edge gardens where it flowers in summer. As with all our other Primula, this one prefers a nice moist soil. Part of our Perennial plant range which we get fresh from the growers during Spring and Summer.

*No purchase necessary. Simply come into the Garden Centre, vote for your favourite leaving your contact details. The winner will be selected at random at the end of February.