
Miniature primroses are to me like precious gems scattered on the forest floor; it is not an exaggeration to say that I am thrilled each time I find one of these little plants in bloom in spring or early summer, perhaps nestled in front of a grey boulder, or concealed next to an old moss covered stump in a shady ravine. Primula frondosa, shown above, might be the most perfect little primrose that I grow. I show it and extoll it with reservations, as I would say it persists in our garden rather than fluorishes... our hot, dry summers are a challenge for it, not exactly emulating its native haunts in the mountains of Bulgaria. This is one of the so called "birds-eye" primroses, which you can easily appreciate on its flowers, and it is in the group of farinose primroses; that is its leaves have a light covering of farina, a whitish powder. Farinose primroses in general like Scotland much better than Iowa, but I have had P. frondosa for three years now, so it may be a survivor.