PRIMULA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



PRIMULA. 



735 



should have greater care, whether it is 

 grown in the rock - garden or in pots. 

 P. scotica is a native plant similar to P. 

 farinosa, and requires similar treatment. 

 The flowers, which show in April, are 



Primula farinosa (Bird's-eye Primrose). 



rich purple with a yellow eye, and are 

 borne on stems a few inches high. 

 Native of damp pastures in the northern 

 counties of Scotland. 



P. glutinpsa. A distinct little Prim- 

 rose, rare in gardens. On mountains 

 near Gastein and Salzburg, in the Tyrol, 

 and in Lower Austria, it flourishes, in 

 peaty soil, at a height of 7,000 to 8,000 ft. 

 It is 3 to 5 in. high, bearing one to five 

 blossoms of a peculiar purplish-mauve, 

 with divisions rather deeply cleft. Suit- 

 able for the rock-garden, or for pots in 

 moist peaty soil or very sandy soil. 

 Similar to P. glutinosa are P. tirolensis, 

 Flcerkiana, Allioni, and others, all natives 

 of the Alps. 



P. grandis. A distinct species from the 

 Caucasus, remarkable only for its large 

 foliage and the smallness of its flowers. 



P. integrifolia. A diminutive Prim- 

 rose, easily recognised by its smooth 

 shining leaves, which lie quite close to 

 the ground, and by its handsome rose 

 flowers, which are borne one to three 

 on a dwarf stem, and are often large 



enough to obscure the plant. There is 

 no difficulty in growing this plant on flat 

 exposed parts of the rock-garden, if the 

 soil be firm, but moist and free. The 

 best way is to form a wide tuft, by dotting 

 six to twelve plants over one spot, and in 

 a dry district, scatter between them a 

 few stones or a little Cocoa-fibre mixed 

 with sand, so as to prevent evaporation. 

 P. Candolleana is another name for this 

 plant. P. glaucescens, spectabilis, Clusi- 

 ana, and Wulfeniana are of a similar 

 character. All are natives of the Alps. 

 Division or seed. 



P. intermedia. A charming hybrid 

 between P. ciliata and P. Auricula. In 

 habit it closely resembles some of the 

 dwarf alpine Auriculas, and its purplish- 

 crimson flowers have a conspicuous 

 yellow eye, and are borne on stout erect 

 scapes. On sheltered portions of the 

 rock-garden its richly-tinted blossoms 

 are seen to advantage. It is delicately 

 fragrant. 



P. japonica. One of the handsomest 

 of Primroses, and now too common to 

 need description. It is a good perennial, 

 and is not in the least tender. It is a 

 first-rate border plant, and in moist shady 

 spots of deep rich loam it grows as 

 vigorously as a Cabbage, throwing up 

 flower-stems 2 ft. or more high, and un- 

 folding tier after tier of its beautiful 

 crimson blossoms for several weeks in 

 succession. It may be grown in the 

 rock-garden as well as in the border, 

 and is an excellent wild-garden plant, 

 thriving almost anywhere and sowing 

 itself freely. It is said to be rabbit-proof. 

 There are several forms differing in colour; 

 there is a white form, a pale pink, and a 

 rose form, but the best is the original rich 

 crimson form. In raising P. japonica 

 from seed it should be borne in mind 

 that the seed remains some time dormant, 

 unless it is sown as soon as it is gathered, 

 and that it must on no account be sown 

 in heat. A cool frame is the proper place 

 for the seed-pan, and till the seed has 

 germinated, care must be taken to pre- 

 vent or keep down the growth of Moss 

 and Liverwort on the soil. 



P. latifolia. A handsome Primrose, 

 with from two to twenty violet flowers in 

 a head. It is less viscid, but larger and 

 more robust than its alpine congener 

 the better-known P. viscosa. Its leaves 

 sometimes attain a height of 4 in. and a 

 breadth of nearly 2 in., and it grows to a 

 height of 4 to 8 in. Its fragrant flowers 

 appear in early summer, and in pure air 

 it thrives on sunny slopes of the rock- 

 garden, if it has sandy peat, plenty of 



