Primulas ???

I love primulas, they bring a splash of early colour to the garden when most others dare not show their heads above ground. I'm impressed by their showiness and hardiness, the fact that they are easy to care for and easy to grow are also a major bonus. So it was with an expectant air of confidence that I received my packet of seeds and wasted no time in sowing them, all 35 of them in fact, no need for caution here as this would be a resounding success.



I followed the sowing instructions diligently ...... well O.K. I read the sowing instructions diligently ...... alright, alright I read the sowing instructions .... sort of !! Look, I put them in modules, covered with compost, watered and waited .... and waited .... diligently. Nothing happened the days became weeks that became months and still nothing. I'm impatient at the best of times in fact when it comes to virtues I think I must have been missing the day they were handing them out ! I moved the tray to my cold frame and low and behold two tiny seedlings began to emerge ( cue the alleluia music ) Did I nurture them seedlings I sang to them, caressed them, made promises I knew I could not keep. I gave them a pot of their own.



It was around this time I began to notice quite a discernible difference between the two seedlings but passed it off as nothing. This was a dereliction I would soon regret. Yes I can see you now as you read this the penny begins to drop " Surely not " you think " This cannot be " but you wring your hands in glee the glow from the computer screen lighting up the fiendish smile that now spreads across your face bringing the warmth of my failure to your toes !! You should take a moment to enjoy this feeling because in all honesty there will probably be more to come, my friends I shall not bear grudges and will share in the titters for I have managed to grow a thistle and a rogue parsnip seed !!



Upon reading the instructions some months later, I learned that one should not cover the seed as this inhibits germination. On a more positive note it seems that I may be flush with strawberries this year.... flush ... oh forget it.