Primroses nursery and garden tips to grow primulas

Primroses in the garden

From Surrey to the States and back - the prized Barnhaven primroses continue their adventure in a Cumbrian nursery

PHOTOGRAPHS VAL CORBETT WORDS CHRISTOPHER HOLLIDAY

History of primroses

They have had quite a journey, but Barnhaven primroses are still flourishing today, albeit by a rather tortuous route. The story begins with Gertrude Jekyll, who collected different-coloured strains of primrose at Munstead Wood, her garden in Surrey, up until 1896, letting Suttons and other companies offer seed from the various strains she developed.

Some years later in America, frustrated by the Great Depression, professio nal pianist Flore nce Bellis
developed a passion for primroses when growing plants for sale. She spent her last $5 on four packets of seeds originally from the Jekyll strains , and crossed and counter-crossed varieties for more than 30 years, creating the now famous Barnhaven primroses.

When Florence retired in 1966, not wishing to let commercial nurseries have the seed, she sent some on
a ‘keep or kill’ basis to Cumbrian nurseryman Jared Sinclair and his wife Sylvia, with whom she had been
corresponding. The Sinclairs continued growing them and offering seed from their nursery at Brigsteer until
1990. They handed the responsibility on to Angela and Keith Bradford, who continued with them successfully as well as settling in Brittany. Also in Brittany, Lynne and David Lawson have taken over and continue to select and hand pollinate plants for pure lines and to introduce new strains.

Primroses nursery

Closer to home, you can discover a generous clutch of them at Cath’s English Garden Plants near Kendal, a
traditional family run nursery offering home-grown plants. Cath and Bob Sanderson run their nursery,
specialising in herbaceous perennials, in the one-acre walled garden of the Heaves Hotel, adjacent to Sizergh
Castle. Although most people associate Cumbria with west coast, cold, grey and wet winters, this southern
corner of the county is remarkably sheltered. It is only a stone’s throw from the Kent Estuary and Morecambe Bay, mild in winter with the Gulf Stream creating a warming influence. Most years, the area does not suffer from either extreme cold or hot summers, and spring seems to appear that bit earlier.

Cath’s English Garden Plants has recently bulked up its range of spring-flowering plants with a mouthwatering selection of Barnhaven primroses. ‘We knew that these primroses used to be grown nearby by the Sinclairs for their mail-order business ,’ Cath says, ‘and knowing Barnhaven Primroses grow so well in this part of the world, we increased our range to 30 varieties.’

These primulas have many advantages over others and have come to be recognised as one of the finest spring plants. Unlike many perennials, the flowers are in proportion with the leaves, often unblemished in
winter. The muted unusual shades of the Victorian varieties are worlds away from the harsh colours of so
many run-of-the-mill primroses and polyanthus.

RECOMMENDED BARNHAVEN GROUP PRIMROSES

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT ‘Desert Sunset’ - coral salmon, shrimp, prawn red and burnt orange; ‘Little Egypt’ - reds and oranges; ‘Spice Shades’ - dark flowers of chocolate, coffee, ginger and hazelnut brown; and ‘Paris ’90’ - white or cream with green or yellow centre and blue-mauve picotee edging.

‘The rich primulas colours, with good primary and dusky or coffee colours, are not normally associated with spring,’ says Cath, ‘so they offer somethi ng a little different. ’ Although she is now familiar with the various primula strains, Cath is still bowled over by these subtle and enchanting plants with their ‘amazing range of colours from the sumptuous and vivid to the delicate and pastel. There is surely a plant to fit in with any colour scheme’.

Garden Tips To Grow Primroses

• Barnhaven primroses are extremely hardy, so are well suited to colder areas than Cumbria, but can be grown virtually anywhere as long as humus-rich woodland conditions are adhered to.
• They enjoy partial shade, organic matter and well-drained neutral to slightly acid soil.

• They hate the extremes of full sun and heavy frosts, which can damage the leaves.
• It’s a good idea to lift and divide them with a fork every two or three years, discarding the old centre but continuing with well-rooted crowns and small pieces. If this is done after flowering, they get the advantage of a longer growing season. If divided in autumn they are subject to the strain of a severe winter, but usually flower well the following spring.

English primroses nyrsery

Cath’s Garden Plants, The Walled Garden, Heaves Hotel, Heaves, nr Kendal, Cumbria LA8 8EF. Tel: +44 (0)1539561126.
Open Mar-end Oct, 10.30am-5pm daily; Nov to end Feb, 10.30am-4pm, Mon-Fri. Closed 21 Dec-10 Jan.

 Contact the primula nursery for details. www.cathsgardenplants.co.uk

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