Primula vialii

Great set of photos Angie!

Oh I do wish we could grow these, I have bought so many plants and lost them, will try putting them around our little pond and see if they would stand a better chance..

Dd, having visited your Southern Garden along the way from me I think our gardens are too dry. I have tried this twice, gone!

Thanks everyone.
DD2 and Siris - I do think it might be down to the dry conditions.
The are generally listed as short lived perennials and when I read this I tend to think of them as annuals. These however, have returned 3 years on the trot now. I do give them a mulch with some ericaceous compost in autumn. Whether or not it helps I've no idea though.

Siris you are possibly correct there, that is why I am thinking if it was near our tiny pond, I could make sure it was wet, have done this with Lobelia Cardinalis it gets watered every time I pass it, and it has been a picture this year...despite the hot dry weather.

Good idea - the Lobelia Cardinalis do well here too unless the slugs and snails get to it first in springtime! I keep my Lobelia in a pot by the back door so I don't forget to water it.
Do let us know how you get on - I know there are many folks that would like to grow it but their dry conditions don't allow.

There is something at the back of my mind tells me that Andrewr grows these in his pond and stores them away for winter. I've just checked out his blogs and found this
http://www.growsonyou.com/AndrewR/blog/25031-jobs-for-winter
Maybe worth asking him for advice.

Thanks for that, will have a look, he is not far from us as the crow flies!!

After reading his blog I put one of my candelabra Primulars in the pond in a very big pot. Oh dear, missed the bit about overwintering out of the pond, couldn't lift the pot out!

Doh!

Uh oh!!:-[

I'll have to leave it and see, one sacrificial plant!