7 yellow primroses to grow in the garden

Primula veris, the charm of nature

Also known as “cowslip”, the common primrose or Primula veris is a small plant found naturally in woodlands from spring onwards. It is easily recognisable by its pale yellow flower umbels perched on a floral stem, above a rosette of elongated, crinkled, light green leaves.

Reaching a height of 20 cm at ripeness, it emits a light fragrance and adds a soft, natural touch to a garden or your planters. Hardy, it prefers fresh, well-drained soil and a partially shaded position. When paired with daffodils, narcissi, or bluebells, it creates a charming woodland atmosphere, under the shade of a few trees.

Primula veris

The tall primrose or Primula elatior, in cheerful colours.

The oxlip or Primula elatior is a perennial plant with elongated, crinkled, dark green foliage that bears, in April and May, umbels of 2 to 12 sulphur-yellow flowers with a more orange centre. This elegant plant adorns the garden in spring in a semi-shaded position, similar to that of woodlands. It is indeed the true “wood cuckoo”.

Reaching a height of 20 cm, it pairs beautifully with crocuses, daffodils, forget-me-nots, and bleeding hearts, sheltered by the shade of a flowerbed, hedge, or tree.

Primula elatior

The primrose Primula eliator 'Colibri Aztec Gold', with yellow and orange cut flower arrangements.

The primrose Primula eliator ‘Colibri Aztec Gold’ is an early young plant that produces cut flower arrangements in vibrant shades of yellow and orange. It is distinguished by a flowering period that begins as early as January and lasts until April. The petals are rounded and coloured in golden yellow, with a more orange centre.

Its evergreen foliage is bright green, and it can grow up to 25 cm. Particularly perennial and very hardy, it is a highly decorative plant that brightens up gardens and balconies with its warm colours.

Primula eliator ‘Colibri Aztec Gold’

The primrose, Primula vulgaris, a touch of tenderness

This primrose, known as the Primula vulgaris, is often encountered during walks in the countryside. This wild and perennial plant also makes a striking addition to a garden or planter. It produces simple, flat flowers in a soft yellow with a brighter centre, contrasting beautifully with its tender green, crinkled foliage arranged in a rosette. Its solitary flowers have a diameter of 2 to 3 cm and attract pollinating insects. The semi-evergreen leaves are slightly villous.

Reaching a height of 10 cm, they make lovely companions for snowdrops, tulips, violets, and forget-me-nots, creating a wild atmosphere with soft colours.

Primula vulgaris

Tibetan primrose or Primula florindae, the most fragrant

The Tibetan primrose or Primula florindae is, as its name suggests, native to Tibet. It is one of the tallest primroses, reaching 70 cm in height, and is also among the most fragrant. It flowers from late spring, between June and August, producing umbels of sulphur-yellow bell-shaped flowers atop broad, bright green leaves. Each umbel can bear between 20 and 40 flowers. The leaves, which are deciduous, are also gigantic, reaching up to 50 cm in diameter.

It thrives in sunny locations and prefers cool soils. You can plant it by the edge of a pond alongside romantic white astilbes and lady’s mantle in soft yellow hues.

Primula florindae (photo from Wikipedia)

The garden auricle - Primula x pubescens, for collectors

The Primula x pubescens or garden auricle is an original primrose with its thick, fleshy leaves arranged in a rosette and its multicoloured flowers in pink, yellow, and purple. It blooms in April and May, producing umbels of 2 to 5 highly fragrant flowers. Its grey-green foliage is evergreen.
This perennial stands at a height of 25 cm.

It thrives in sunny or partially shaded locations, preferring cool, fertile soils. It can be used in rockeries or planted in old stone troughs alongside alpine plants or aubrietes. Hardy and perennial, Primula x pubescens is a plant that is now relatively rare. However, it attracted many collectors in the 18th century.

Primula pubescens

The tall primrose or Primula eliator 'Veristar Yellow', an explosion of yellow flowers.

The oxlip or Primula eliator ‘Veristar Yellow’ offers, in April and May, a multitude of bright yellow flowers on dark green, crinkled, semi-evergreen foliage. Each young plant produces between 10 to 30 single flowers with rounded petals that exude a light fragrance.

With its vibrant colour, Primula eliator ‘Veristar Yellow’ brightens up the garden and pairs well with spring bulbs, as well as heucheras with colourful foliage. At ripeness, it reaches a height of 25 cm. Use it in your garden borders or in your planters.

For further reading

• To deepen your knowledge of primroses, read our comprehensive guide dedicated to their cultivation and explore our complete collection of primroses.
• To avoid disappointment, follow our planting tips and download our Plantfit web application!