Plant of the Month - April

Primrose (Primula vulgaris): always a very welcome sight in spring and a proper UK ‘wildflower’ that provides nectar for early butterflies. Often seen in woodland, hedgerows and grass areas they often pop up in our gardens and not to be ignored!

No more than 10cm high they can start flowering in December and go on until May.

Primroses are easily identified by their wrinkled leaves that form a rosette at the base of the plant. The flowers are pale to deep yellow with a bright yellow-orange centre.

They prefer moist, well drained soil; they dislike limey soil or soil that dries out. They can last for several years but the flowers will get smaller each year successive year.

You can buy cultivated varieties that come in a variety of colours, and these are often planted in pots or as bedding. Its close relative, the Polyanthus, results from crossing Primulas and Cowslips!