166 ROCK GARDENING FOR AMATEURS 



P. rosea. This Himalayan Primula is one of the 

 dwarfest and also one of the first to flower. It is a 

 charming plant for the bog garden, growing only six inches 

 high, with rosy carmine flowers early in April. It is a 

 good perennial, and may be increased by division after 

 flowering or by seeds. 



P. sikkimensis. The Sikkim Cowslip is a graceful 

 plant, with drooping yellow flowers on tall stems in May. 

 It is a bog plant, and requires plenty of moisture when 

 growing. It may be easily raised from seed. The 

 Chinese form of this, P. pseudo-sikkimensis, is a better 

 " doer," with rather larger flowers. 



OTHER PRIMULAS 



Besides the Primulas above mentioned there are 

 numerous others suitable for the rock garden and easy 

 to grow. There is the common Primrose with its multi- 

 coloured varieties. There is the Cowslip, which, cross- 

 bred with the Primrose, produced the popular Polyan- 

 thus so well known. The little Bird's-eye Primrose 

 (P. farinosa) is a charming little plant for the bog. One 

 of the newer introductions from the Himalayas is P. 

 Winteri, a distinct and beautiful plant, with mealy 

 leaves like the Primrose in shape, and with pale lavender- 

 blue flowers in early spring. The many forms of P. 

 cortusoides, a Siberian plant, are very beautiful, and the 

 varieties of the Japanese P. Sieboldii are also attractive. 

 P. Juliae, from the Caucasus, has rose-coloured flowers 

 in April. 



