The wild primrose wants a bit of shade, a bit of moisture in the soil, and it does not want to be competing with aggressive, vigorous neighbours. Once they are in and settled, they will spread slowly and seed themselves around, which is exactly what we want. These are not wild Irish primroses; they are heavily hybridised forms, bred entirely for colour impact. The lesser celandine, Ficaria verna, is one you will have seen carpeting roadsides and hedgebanks with glossy yellow flowers. Pale lilac-pink flowers, delicate-looking but actually pretty tough, and it is the sole food plant of the orange-tip butterfly caterpillar.

Source: Irish Examiner March 12, 2026 18:01 UTC