Primrose 'Bonneli Cornish Cream' (Primula vulgaris) – Cream Flowering Spring Bedding (12 Plants in 2 x 6-Cell Trays)

Primrose 'Bonneli Cream' brings soft, luminous cream flowers to the garden from late winter into spring, when little else is in bloom. You get 12 plants, growing in 2 trays of 6 cells with one plant to a cell.

Bonneli is a continental primrose series, valued for its neat habit and long flowering season. The cream blooms are delicate but plentiful, and they make a classic display in borders, containers, hanging baskets and window boxes. The crinkled, mid-green leaves form a tidy rosette, and early bees will visit the flowers on mild days.

Plant them straight into their final position or container. Choose full sun or partial shade, such as dappled light under deciduous trees or shrubs, in moist, fertile, well-drained soil enriched with compost or leaf mould. Full sun suits them only where the soil stays moist. Water regularly in dry spells, especially while they establish. They are fully hardy, so they cope with a British winter outdoors and do well in pots on the patio.

Upkeep is light. Deadhead spent flowers to keep the display going, and feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser every two to three weeks during the growing season. After flowering, lift and divide the plants, or leave them to naturalise in a woodland-style border. They are true perennials and will return year after year if left in the ground. Primulas can cause stomach upset and skin irritation, so wash your hands after handling them.

For a coordinated spring display, pair them with contrasting primroses, violas, pansies or early tulips.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Primrose
• Botanical Name: Primula vulgaris
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Approx. 15-20cm tall and 20-25cm wide
• Growth Habit: Low-growing, compact, rosette-forming
• Perfect For: Borders, containers, window boxes, hanging baskets, patio pots, underplanting
• Foliage: Mid-green, crinkled oval leaves
• Flowering Time: Late winter to mid-spring (January to April)
• Flower Colour: Cream
• Planting Position: Full sun to partial shade, in soil that stays moist
• Soil Type: Moist, humus-rich, well-drained
• Hardiness: Fully hardy
• Maintenance: Low
• Seasonal Interest: Winter and spring
• Type: Hardy perennial, grown as winter and spring bedding