This lovely dwarf American member of the farinosae section has heads of delicate lavender-mauve flowers with yellow eyes above a basal rosette of toothed leaves. In the USA and Canada it is found on banks of lakes and rivers. ... Learn More

This rare plant, not often found in cultivation, comes from Taiwan. It opens its whorls of unusually-coloured, rich pinkish-blue flowers in spring, and as an added interest produces unusual leafy bracts which appear on the flower head amongst the individual flowers! (Section proliferae) ... Learn More

This rare, lovely and extremely unusual plant has fleshy, rounded, woolly, alchemilla-like leaves with thin stems holding numerous umbels of pinkish flowers. In a peat or shaded garden will self-seed making an imposing sight. (Section: Cortusoides). ... Learn More

Clumps of dark, fleshy foliage surround strong stems bearing bunches of golden-eyed, brilliant rose-purple flowers. This gem thrives in wet areas from the subalpine zone to alpine tundra in the Rocky Mountains from Montana to Arizona and New Mexico and is one of the finest of all American primroses. When out of flower they look quite similar to dodecatheon species, to which of course they are distantly related. ... Learn More

Rosettes of darkest green, shiny leaves, push up 18 inch stems which carry from two to six whorls of yellow-eyed, deep purplish-crimson flowers, each about an inch across. This stately primula lives high on the mountains of Szechwan and Yunnan in China. ... Learn More

Attractive whorls of flowers in shades of pink to wine red appear over pretty, deeply crinkled leaves, which are scallop-edged with woolly backs. This plant is easy to grow in cool shade where it will thrive and increase over the years. ... Learn More

Strong stems holding tiered whorls of deep red to mauve flowers arise from vigorous rosettes of tooth-edged leaves. A small proportion will be of the lovely shell-pink 'Bartley's Strain'. This lovely plant from China is one of the easiest of the taller ones to keep happy and will be long-lived in most gardens. It can be distinguished from other candelabra types by the fine powder on its stems, Hence the name "Pulverulenta" "pulverized".... into fine white powder. ... Learn More

One-sided clusters of deepest, darkest ruby red are carried on strong stems above vigorous clumps of shiny, jagged-toothed leaves. This lovely plant comes from very high up, sometimes over 12,000 feet, in the mountains of Szechwan and Yunnan in China. ... Learn More

Strong stems carry heavy heads of many large, fragrant, flared, yellow trumpets above dense rosettes of crinkled and toothed leaves. A relatively rare and distinct species, almost as large as the "Giant Himalayan Cowslip". ... Learn More

A bright yellow candelabra primula making substantial, semi-evergreen rosettes of crinkly shiny leaves. Flowering from late May to June, it makes a superb plant for the waterside or damp garden. ... Learn More

An exciting and generous selection of dozens of different primula species and cultivars and also primrose seeds! Absolute pot luck! We have mixed together all of the seeds we have collected, even when we have doubt about its identity. All shapes, colours and sizes, but all primulas of some sort or other, and a big packetful! ... Learn More

"Wild Devon Cowslip". Dense heads of pendent yellow flowers appear on this quintessential spring flower which is ideal for naturalising in borders or even in wild grass (its natural home). These are generously filled packets so you may sprinkle them where required, even on to a grassy bank or lawn. Germination is very slow! ... Learn More

Heavy trusses of small, pillar-box red flowers delicately edged with golden yellow arise on strong stems in early spring. These originally appeared here as chance seedlings more than 20 years ago and have since travelled around the world. An attractive variation on these rare old plants ... Learn More

Unlike the normal cowslip, each blossom of these ancient and extremely rare plants has a second blossom growing from within the normal one, producing an intriguing doubling effect. These exquisite flowers were first produced in the 18th century, but sadly were effectively lost to cultivation. This is possibly the first offering, in recent times of seeds of these exceptionally rare and beautiful flowers. ... Learn More

Beautiful, jagged-edged grey leaves are thickly dusted with farina, which also coats the flower stems, each carrying whorls of bright yellow flowers. This spectacular and rarely-encountered beauty can be grown in a dry, protected spot outdoors, but it truly does make an amazing spectacle indoors or in an alpine house, where it can stand considerable heat and drying, even on a hot window sill as in the illustration here. It can be very thirsty, but it rewards constant drinks, and occasional feeding with an endless display of fragrant flowers as it blooms on and off for much of the year apart from mid-winter! In the wild the Sphondylia section of primulas come from surprisingly hot places, like Saudia Arabia, Yemen, the Sinai peninsula and Ethiopia, where they inhabit shady, damp places and often grow on wet, north facing, limestone cliffs. Botanically, they are related to, and indeed the flowers bear some resemblance, to the beautiful, and much harder-to-grow Dionysia species. Old plants can grow to a very large size and reward being re-potted yearly. ... Learn More