Barnhaven is a name known the world over for primroses of all kinds, but for double primroses in particular. From their early days in Oregon to their present home in Brittany, Barnhaven Primroses have maintained the quality of their wide range of beautiful hardy, seed-raised primroses and polyanthus in colours found nowhere else.
For so long, only seed was sent out by mail order and with double primroses in particular the results can be unpredictable. But, in recent years, Barnhaven have also been sending out plants and, at the same time, selected choice individual double flowered primroses have been named and propagated by division or tissue culture so that every single plant is guaranteed true.
They have three new Barnhaven double primroses this season. Lynne Dawson who, with her husband David, now runs Barnhaven told me about them.
“Pink double primroses are in great demand and seem to be the most difficult to create. The percentage of doubles that appear is less and the plants are often weak. ‘Pink Star’ (top, click to enlarge) is an exception, being vigorous and it divides easily – so we’re dividing it by hand. It has come from a cross between a double pink and our (single-flowered) ‘Candy Pinks’.
“The blue one is called ‘Blue Ice’. I have a weakness for the pale blue doubles and have been working on them extensively for a while. It originated from putting double pollen onto a (single-flowered) ‘Barnhaven Blue’ several years back.”
‘Guernsey Cream’ has genes from our (single-flowered) ‘Osiered Amber’ and one of our yellow doubles. One of a series of creamy, honey coloured doubles contrasting with very dark bronze foliage.”
Editor-in-Chief of the RHS Encyclopedia of Perennials; writer for a wide range of newspapers and magazines including The Garden and The Plantsman; member of the RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee and Floral Trials Committee; author of many books on plants and gardens.
Source: RHS My Garden – Three New Barnhaven Double Primroses – Graham Rice’s New Plants Blog
