Primula veris
cowslip
- Position: full sun or partial shade
- Soil: moist, humus-rich, neutral to acid soil
- Rate of growth: average
- Hardiness: fully hardy
A variable native perennial, which bears scented yellow cups that gather in a cluster at the tops of the upright stems in mid- to late spring. Once a common sight in the wild, they are now becoming rarer, but they make great additions to wildflower meadows, where their flowers will help attract beneficial pollinators (including bees). - Garden care: Sow on the surface of good seed compost and gently firm them in before watering. Place in a cold frame and transplant individually into small pots when large enough to handle. Keep moist but not wet and grow on in a cool environment before hardening off and planting out in the garden. Most seeds should germinate within 6 weeks, but as they need cold and wet conditions prior to germination, some may lie dormant for up to 2 years before they start to sprout. Therefore, once the first seedlings have been thinned out and grown on, tuck the seed tray in a shady corner and see what happens.
- Sow: May - June or August - October
- Flowering: May - June
- Approximate quantity: 50 seeds
