Gardening in Alaska : Q&A: Jane Baldwin on Primulas

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Q&A: Jane Baldwin on Primulas

Posted by talkdirt

Posted: June 29, 2009 - 6:42 pm

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Master Gardener Jane Baldwin set up a primula information display at the Alaska Botanical Garden and Art Fair recently. Fran Durner/ADN

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Q: When did you catch the primula bug?
A: Major interest began about 5-6 years ago; I had grown several garden auricula for a number of years and was always delighted to see their cheery green leaves appear through the snow and found their early yellow and purple flowers charming. Knowing nothing about primroses, I started to look for more to add to my yard. Thus began a 5-6 years journey of learning about the wonderful, wide and varied world of primula.

I kept trying different species and was totally delighted when most of what I tried survived our winters. Mary Jo Burns, a major primrose gardener, has generously helped me along the way in learning about the fun in growing primula.

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Q: How many plants, and how many of different types, are in your collection?
A: Too many plants to count individually. There are about 475 different species of primula world wide grouped into about 37 different sections based on plant similarities. Keep in mind that plants within a particular section may cross with each other and if either is allowed to self sow or by planting ripened seed, you will get a lot of different hybrids from seed. Primula plants grow well here in our area and many of them may be easily divided every two years or so, further adding to the number of plants I have.

Suffice it to say, that I have an embarrassing number of primula plants. Instead of actually counting plants, I did a rough computation of the square footage of some of my flower beds which are planted with about 95% primula and came up with just under 500 square feet. . .

Jane Baldwin and Mari Wood look over the primula display at the ABG fair. All the plants were from Jane's yard. Fran Durner/ADNQ: Do you have any particular favorites?
A: Love them all, of course! If I could choose only one type, it would be the auriculas. They bloom so early in May – often in flower while there may still be a 2’ pile of snow a short distance away – they help to satisfy my craving for some green growth and flowers after one of our long winters!

Q: Where do you get your plants from (any favorite places Outside?)
A: This is the first year I’ve ever ordered from outside nurseries, so those plants have not yet wintered. I’ve received a lot of plants from gardening friends sharing what they have been growing - yes, there are ‘closet’ primrose addicts out there! I’ve found quite a few primroses offered at local garden group plant sales. Lorri Abel, current owner of In The Garden Nursery, still offers primroses for sale. Fritz Creek Gardens in Homer has been steadily increasing their inventory of available primroses. Several other retailers usually offer a few primroses each summer - Alaska Mill & Feed, Sutton’s, Mile 5.2 Greenhouse in Eagle River, to name a few. Even the big box stores occasionally offer primroses. It becomes a matter of being on constant alert for primula when visiting nurseries, greenhouses and plant sales!

Primula resource books include one, the Alaskan Primrose Primer by Sally Arant, written just for Alaskans. Fran Durner/ADNQ: Advice on growing primulas?
A: Try them, you’ll like them; they’re happy with our growing zones! You should succeed in growing primroses if you can provide them with their basic needs: partial or light shade; ample moisture during the summer; good garden soil, rich in organic material, with very good drainage (perhaps even with the addition of sand, grit or sharp gravel); and some light mulching during the winter.

Q: I understand your garage is full of seedlings and plants during the winter - where do you and your husband park your cars?
A: Is a garage supposed to be for cars? No cars in my garage! Seed starting begins in October and lasts until plants can be moved outside! My best seed starting results come from using my own seed fresh from my garden plants just as soon as the seed is ripe. I typically plant that seed about the first of October. I have small plants blooming now that I planted last October.

Q: Do you have a seedling program or an objective in trying to develop a new primula?
A: Not yet! Although I can see the fascination of doing so. Two years ago I planted seed in the garage from one seed pod from one open pollinated plant in my garden (actually a hybrid plant itself) – out of the 12 seedlings that resulted, I had 9 different flowers– differing either in color or shape or both.

Jane Baldwin talks primulas at the ABG Fair. Fran Durner/ADNQ: What about the Primrose Study Group?
A: This is an informal group, begun by Mary Jo Burns, a means to bring together gardeners who want to learn more about the growing primroses. It provides a periodic opportunity to share and exchange our primula experiences.

Q: Any chance of an actual Primula Club forming?
A: It would be nice, but I do not believe the interest level in the organizing, on-going administrative and business end of running a club is quite there yet. I know I don’t want to do it! Someday it would be nice to have an Anchorage Chapter of the American Primrose Society.

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Q&A: Jane Baldwin on Primulas