Primula veris

Primula veris (cowslip) is a short, semi-evergreen perennial forming soft rosettes of green leaves and carrying nodding clusters of rich yellow, spring flowers on upright stems. Flowering reliably in spring (March to May), it suits full sun to partial shade in moist but well-drained, moderately fertile soil, and is excellent for naturalistic planting, borders, containers and wildlife-friendly schemes. Eventual size about 20cm x 20cm. Highly valued for early-season colour and nectar, and holder of the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Full sun to partial shade

Rate of Growth: Moderate

Soil: Moist but well-drained, moderately fertile soil

Hardiness: Fully hardy

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Plant at a Glance