Double Primroses

Prized by horticulturists since Elizabethan times, Double Primroses have been cherished in English cottage gardens for centuries. How not to be bewitched by their beauty? Often fragrant, the multipetalled blossoms of these perennial plants resemble small roses and are available in a wide range of colors, including bi-colors cultivars. Most are of acaulis type, with their flowers borne on individual short stems. Whether planted in the garden border or in containers, they have the effect of stopping passers-by in their tracks.

• Double Primroses enjoy a long flowering season extending from mid to late spring. Some cultivars even begin flowering in early spring, providing a long-lasting floral display.
• Double Primroses are very floriferous thanks to their incredible number of buds. One single plant can produce a hundred blooms!
• Double Primroses typically grow up to 4-6 in. tall (10-15 cm).
• Grow them in full sun or partial shade in moderately fertile, evenly moist but well-drained, humus-rich-soil. Make sure you keep them well-fed and frequently divided (every two years to keep them vigorous), and they will reward you with their exuberant blossoms year after year.
• Keep an eye on your plants. Make sure the soil does not dry out in summer during the dry periods. Remove decaying leaves to reduce risk of fungal infections, discard old blooms to avoid rot in the crown.
• Unlike many other primroses, Double Primroses do not carry seed and do not self-sow. They can only be reproduced by division or micropropagation.
• Plant your Double Primroses under deciduous shrubs, such as Acers (Maples), Viburnums, Philadelphus (Mock Orange), Hamamelis (Witch Hazels) or Rose shrubs. They will fully enjoy the spring sun before the shrubs unfolds their umbrella of leaves, and will be protected from the summer sun when the shrubs are in full leaf.
• Team them with spring-flowering bulbs such as Muscari (Grape Hyacinths), Narcissus (Daffodils) or Galanthus (Snowdrops). Combine them with Helleborus (Hellebores), Dicentras (Bleeding Hearts), Anemone nemorosa (Wood Anemones), or Viola cornuta (Violets).