Why You Should Grow Primroses 
by Adeline Thomson 
Photographs by Nathan R. Graves 
F OR early blossoms in the perennial garden or border, hardy 
Primroses give greater satisfaction and pleasure than many 
other perennials. When most other hardy plants are only putting 
forth green leaves, the primrose unfolds its happy flowers, and for 
a month or more scatters cheer throughout the garden in spite 
of Spring’s fickle winds. 
Primrose blossoms are extremely attractive in their profusion. 
In form and size they resemble the flowers of the Chinese primrose 
(always a favorite house plant) and possess colors that shade from 
purest white through varying yellows, saffrons, purples and 
crimson. Their color is wonderfully beautiful when used in 
mass planting. 
There are several varieties of hardy primroses — the Auriculas, 
the old-fashioned Polyanthus, and the English Primrose. All 
varieties deserve liberal planting in every hardy garden. 
The primrose possesses two characteristics that make it a per¬ 
fect border plant — its low-growing habit, and its attractive foliage, 
resisting heat or drought. 
Primroses are easily increased by root division. From two 
varieties which I purchased three years ago 1 have now over eighty 
The old-fashioned Polyanthus (Primula Polyantha) is perfectly 
hardy, blooming in earliest spring) 
strong, thrifty plants. The roots are formed of many small 
crowns, which, seemingly, are of but one part. These crowns are 
easily cut or pulled apart, and each crown planted, no matter how 
small it may be, will form a new plant. The time for this work 
is immediately after the plant has finished flowering in the spring. 
If done then, a single season’s offsets will become as large as the 
parent plant. Choose a shady place for the work and exercise 
care in pulling the crowns apart. Plant the offsets in a shady 
location until they have thrown up new, strong growth, then 
transplant to permanent places. 
Primroses may be raised from seed, but the young plants 
require so much care that it is far easier to buy varieties and in¬ 
crease one’s stock by root division. 
All varieties of hardy primroses should be planted in the spring. 
By repeated experiments 1 have found fall planting to be a dismal 
failure — a fact showing conclusively that primroses must become 
ihoroughly established or winter will kill them. The first week in 
April has proved, with me, an ideal time for this planting. If the 
plants are in the ground by this time, they will invariably blossom 
the first season, though the flowers will be smaller, perhaps, and 
appear a little later than usual. Primroses, however, will succeed 
when planted any time between the first of April and the first of 
June. 
I find primroses perfectly hardy in a climate where the ther¬ 
mometer often drops low in the zero region, but if given proper 
winter protection there is no reason why primroses should not 
thrive in the coldest localities. They should not be covered 
until the ground freezes. The plant needs the gradual cold of the 
fall to become hardened. 1 find my primroses come through 
winter much better when covered with leaves and coarse litter, as 
manure is apt to burn the leaves and also starts the plant-growth 
prematurely. Leaves must be held in place by branches or old 
boards, to be removed in March. Do not uncover the primroses, 
however, until early in April or frost may injure the flower 
buds. 
After the long, barren months of winter, primrose blos¬ 
soms will seem unusually welcome, and while the flowers that 
follow may appear more beautiful, they never can have quite 
the same appeal as the hardy primrose. If it had no recommend¬ 
ation but its early and reliable blossoming, that alone would 
win it favor. 
(i 16 ) 
