Primroses

Common as they are, primroses still deserve a blip to themselves. They are among the most reliable and long-lasting spring flowers, and don't ask for anything other than a bit of space to show themselves off. Like so many simple flowers they have a perfection of colour and form that more cultivated flowers often can't compete with. Some of the broad roadside verges around here are carpeted with them, a sight that really does lift the spirits, and which for me is probably only exceeded by an ancient bluebell wood in full flower.

Speaking of which, I spent some time yesterday uprooting Spanish bluebells from the garden. Every year I work at this, and try to prevent any from flowering, but they're great survivors. They're easier to remove when they get bigger, but by then it's difficult to manoeuvre around the borders without damaging other plants. Still, I feel that I ought to do my best to stop any seed escaping into the wild, to say nothing of limiting the damage in our own garden.