Celebrate St Patrick's Day on March 17 by filling your garden with traditional Irish primroses. These lovely, dainty little flowers have made a huge comeback since 2011, when Ireland's First Lady, Fionnuala Kenny mentioned to her American counterpart Michelle Obama how wonderful they are. Now word is spreading fast and there are newly-rediscovered varieties popping up in garden centres all over the country.
The Kennedy range of Irish primroses is the result of over 35 years of careful breeding by Irish primula specialist Joe Kennedy, who selected from the best of the surviving 19th century varieties created during a mini-craze for them among Irish lady gardeners. Many have been lost during their years in the wilderness so it's lovely to have these beauties back again.
All have a sumptuous deep purplish-bronze foliage and erupt with flowers at this time of the year: Primula 'Innisfree' is a really sultry primrose with deep, vivid red flowers and particularly dark leaves, while 'Drumcliff' has pale lilac-tinted white flowers.
Best of all, they're incredibly hardy, putting up with even severe frosts and just bouncing back for more. Give them a nice damp shady spot by the path where you can admire them to the full on St Patrick's Day for years to come.
