'Alpine auriculas have flowers with a light or yellow centre, but don't have any of the white floury substance, known as farina, on the flowers or leaves,' explains Val.ĭoubles have multi-petals, borders are tougher than others, with fragrant flowers, and show auriculas have a white ring in the centre of each flower, known as the paste. Plants are split into four main groups based on their looks: alpine, double, show and border auriculas. Among the most eye-catching are yellow and white 'Brasso', bright red 'Royal Mail', and 'Edith Major', a variety named after Val's mother, which has blue and cream petals. Wander around her two-acre nursery and you'll find 11 polythene tunnels and greenhouses where thousands of the plants are grown. 'They're ideal as air can reach the plants, but the plants are protected from rain and bright sunlight.'
'Theatres were an extremely popular way of displaying plants during the 18th Century,' says Val. The interior has been fitted with tiers of shelves, where 200 different auriculas are arranged in clay pots. The theatre is a 19ft long by 9ft high wooden frame built into a 4ft deep brick alcove and covered by a sloping roof. Thought to be the oldest of its kind in the world, the structure was built in 1830 as a way of displaying these diminutive plants for maximum impact.Įxpert: No one knows more about auriculas than Val Woolley I didn't know much about them at the beginning, but now eat, sleep and breathe auriculas,' says Val, 67, who stocks 750 different varieties.Īpart from running the nursery, Val supplies plants to the famous auricula theatre at Calke Abbey, a National Trust property in Derbyshire. 'I started collecting auriculas in my 40s and decided to give up my life as a university lecturer teaching pharmacy to grow them for a living. For 20 years she has run Field House Nursery, a specialist plant centre in Gotham, near Nottingham. No one knows more about auriculas than Val Woolley. Grown by the aristocracy, they fetched very high prices, but by the late 18th Century they were more widely available, and more than 1,500 varieties are now listed in the Royal Horticultural Society's Plant Finder. There are a number of specialist Auricula nurseries who will be happy to offer advice should you need it (they also mail order the most lovely plants.)ĭrointon Nurseries – Kent Cottage Plants – Īngus Plants – My final word is a warning… Auricula are addictive. You will start off with just one or two but before you know it you will end up with your very own Auricula theatre that you play with everyday.Desirable: There are more than 1,500 varieties of auriculas listed in the Royal Horticultural Society's Plant Finder You don’t have to repot but it does give you the chance to check for pests and disease and it is nice to pot up the offsets – either to bulk up your own collection or to give as gifts / swaps.No particular time seems better or worse than any other. Repotting can be done at any time of year.Terracotta pots look beautiful, especially the vintage ones but your plants may dry out quicker in terracotta and extra care will need to be taken with watering.Smaller plants should be in 7cm or smaller. Do not overpot. A 9cm pot is plenty big enough for even the most fully grown plant.Auricula hate wet feet! Use gritty compost for improved drainage (a mix of JI no2 and sand / alpine grit).Mine live outside all year round in the ‘nippy’ North Yorkshire climate.įollow a few simple guidelines and your plants will shine: The Auricula is a pleasure to grow, it is a very hardy little plant that does not require any heat.
The delicate fragile beauty of Primula auricula suggests a diva of a plant that requires tender loving care & special attention in order to bloom.Īppearances can be deceiving.
Here are her tips for growing these fabulous flowers. F&F reader Lisa Peacock created this beautiful auricula theatre by her door.
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