Horticultural highlight of the Week (2014 week 10) - Primrose (Primula vulgaris)

This is one of my favourite and best-loved native wildflowers and sit heads and shoulders above the gaudily coloured 'polyanthus' seen in cultivated beds on many a British roundabout and village green. Here in Sussex the advent of spring is marked by numerous clumps of primroses as much as it is by swathes of daffodils and I was very happy when one decided to self-seed itself in my herb garden.

Primrose (primula vulgaris) caught in March sunshine

That was about four years ago, and after the first year, and my efforts to carefully transplant the tiny flowerless offspring of the initial coloniser, they are now firmly established in the garden. It appears to favour well-drained soil and partial shade where it thrives - the plants that have seeded in the part-shaded gravel areas in the garden seem to be stronger and more upright, as seen here where one has appeared in the gravel surrounding the greenhouse.

Primrose (primula vulgaris)

I've now got tens of plants that appear in shady corners of the garden every spring - one of the first real signs that warmer weather is on its way.

Of course the 2014 editions of 'plant of the week wouldn't be complete without a couple of squidcam macro shots.

Primrose (Primula vulgaris) taken with Squidcam macro lens

Primrose (Primula vulgaris) taken with Squidcam macro lens