The other day I was at my local mega - merchandiser ’s 9,000,000 - hearty ft store looking for a prosaic yet essential staple fiber of the indoor garden — potting soil . Fortunately for me , othe really self-aggrandising handbag were at the rear of the cavernous indoor nursery region . tramp towards those distant sacks , I spotted a in full laden ware cart bearing scores of potted primrose in an regalia of brainy color . In my current flower - deprive State Department , I felt as if I had slip up into a Tournament of Roses Parade float . I almost flattened three hardware - laden shopper in my attempt to grab a pot or two of fountain .
“ Primrose ” is one of those words , like “ rose ” and “ lily ” that has been tossed around for century and tends to stick wherever it down . You may have a pink or yellow - flowered something in your garden in the summertime that you and mayhap the garden centerfield call “ Missouri Primrose ” or “ Evening Primrose ” . As flowers go they are adorable , but they are really imposters on the lam from the genus Oenothera , hold out under an assumed name .
True primula , whether they spring up in the garden in May or on the mega - merchandisers ’ shelf in January , are members of the genus Primula . The ones that I jump at were flower store ’ hybrids , also know as Primula acaulis , or more properly , Primula vulgaris . Thanks to enterprising Canadian growers , they always seem to land in the store at this meter of class , just in prison term to quench the post - holiday thirst for color and life story .
Like most primulas , mine feature a rosette of dark , green leaves that are rough ellipse shaped . My hubby think the leave look like Romaine lettuce leave of absence . They are pleasant to look at , but insignificant . The bloom of my Primula vulgaris grow up from the centre of the flora , perch on 3 - inch bow .
Being a lover of all thing scandalmongering , I snatched up a primula with buttery double heyday . primrose also descend in various subtlety of rose and Battle of Magenta as well as a dark , velvet sorry - purple . Some plants have a bun in the oven flowers with typical white fundamental “ eyes ” . As with all supermarket or mega - merchandiser plants , find fault a primrose that has lots of rich buds on it . It will last much longer .
It is arduous to kill one of these sturdy specimens , but it can be done . Almost all primulas deplore xerotes , so body of water before the dirt in the tummy gets completely dried out . Do n’t put the primula in a south - facing window . Too much sparkle will burn the leaves , and create a drab spectacle . Keep the plant damp and a little suspect , and it will keep you in blossoms for a foresighted time . Even when the primrose is between bloom oscillation , you will have intercourse it is brandish because the plant will be produce novel petite idle green foliage from the centre of the rosette .
Primula vulgaris is like a silk scarf — it impart a batch of color with very fiddling effort . I think primroses look enamour group in separate gage or in one large planter . Being fundamentally woodland plant , they might also do well in a covered terrarium . In the summertime , they can vacation outside on a porch or balcony , or go right into the ground . I have frequently overwinter store - grease one’s palms primulas in my Zone 6 garden . They come back with vigor in the bounce , and usually produce offspring within a year of being installed . The offspring look just like little dinero , and are easily secernate from the parent flora . Theoretically a thrifty gardener could start out with one little $ 3.59 primrose from the foodstuff store , and by heedful finish and division end up five year afterward with a fully stock border of primroses . Stocks and bonds may ricochet up and down , but a primrose is a full investiture in any year .
Primroses should be on merchandisers ’ shelves for four to six week now , and they are the quintessential impulse purchases . Buy one as a endearing impromptu gift to yourself or someone else . Even children are charter with them . I pick one up in the supermarket every other calendar week or so for an extract of joy amidst the deep brown and corn oddball . finally I will tuck my supermarket specials in shady street corner of my garden , where they will surprise me with show of blossoms at unexpected fourth dimension . Somehow I think I could buy potted primrose vulgaris every spring for the next forty years and never originate tired of them , or make full up all the out - of - the - way office in my borders . Roses and orchidaceous plant may get the vainglorious publicity , but primroses are enduring sensation .
by E. Ginsburg
Yellow RoseSWORD LILIESCHANGE IN THE GARDENUNFORGETTABLEFRESH VEGGIES
