April Auriculas

We have been enjoying some glorious weather here and I've been making the most of it by being out in the garden. 

After a bit of weeding...well rather a lot really, I decided to treat myself to a quick trip to our local garden centre Groves.  After admiring a pretty Prunus with lovely dark leaves and delicate white flowers, the auricula's caught my eye.  There they were standing in line, their heads held high and their pretty faces winking at me....I just couldn't resits!

Potted in little terracotta pots and being shown to great effect in the traditional way, in rows on shelves.  I have also seen them charmingly arranged on the steps of a traditional wooden ladder, which you could easily replicate at home...try scouring the dump, I often see them being thrown away and with a coat of paint they could be made as good as new.

They're such a quirky flower, you either love them or hate them and with me it's definitely not the latter.

Auricula's date back to the mid sixteenth century and are descended from Primula's.  There was a passion for them in the seventeen and eighteen hundreds and they can often be seen in paintings.

They come in many colours including wonderful green and grey edged varieties.  The more specialised types require a little more work and don't enjoy strong sunshine or rain, but most are frost hardy and easily flower.

I would encourage anyone to have a go at growing these charming little plants, they just look so pretty, who could resist?