Yet they’re not hard to grow and it’s very relaxing, the perfect antidote to writing, because when you are stuck for an idea you can always tend your auriculas.” Patricia taught herself old French and Latin to research the history of the auricula, but the summit of her investigation was when she reached the top of the Kitzbüheler Horn, high in the Austrian Alps where the ancestor plants of the cultivated varieties are to be found.Īuriculas were first recorded in England in the Elizabethan period as a passtime of the elite but it was in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that they became a widespread passion amongst horticulturalists of all classes. “They are much more like pets than plants,” Patricia admitted to me as we stood in her greenhouse surrounded by seedlings, “because you have to look after them daily, feed them twice a week in the growing season, remove offshoots and repot them once a year. You only have to cast your eyes upon the wonder of an auricula theatre filled with specimens in bloom in Patricia’s Sussex garden to understand why these most artificial of flowers can hold you in thrall with the infinite variety of their colour and form. She believes that the Huguenots brought them here more than three centuries ago, perhaps snatching a twist of seeds as they fled their homeland and then cultivating them in the enclosed gardens of the merchants’ grand houses, and in the weavers’ yards and allotments, thus initiating a passionate culture of domestic horticulture among the working people of the East End which endures to this day. Other beautiful spring bloomers include Pulmonaria aka Lungwort and Engaging Spring Ephemerals.In horticultural lore, auriculas have always been associated with Spitalfields and writer Patricia Cleveland-Peck has a mission to bring them back again. See the beautiful red and yellow primroses I was given in the article Primrose Passion. Next year I can dig some up and display them again in this thrifty auricula theatre. Later I'll probably transplant into the garden because I don't think they will overwinter well in pots. I can't wait until they are all in bloom this spring. The other auriculas I purchased were: Brookfield, Arundel Stripe and Gordon Douglas. This is the one that's in flower called Primula auricula 'Blue Velvet.' I believe they are primula vulgaris, not auricula but they are also very pretty and so special to me. So I dug up some of my yellow primulas from the garden to pot up and display in the theatre. Unfortunately only one had any flowers this early in the season. They came carefully wrapped in sisal fiber and newspaper.Įach one had a nice tag with their name, description, and growing information. I purchased four beautiful Primrose auriculas online from Edelweiss Perennials in Oregon. Then I spray painted it with a couple of coats of dark brown indoor/outdoor paint. Yes, it's a little crooked but I am grateful for the help. My husband helped me add a shelf to the inside. Something about its shape reminded me of a house. This old drawer was only $5.00 at a thrift store. Making a Thrifty Primula Auricula Theatre Don't forget to check below this tutorial for all of the other talented creative thrifty ideas from the team. A perfect project to share for this month's Thrifty Team Style. When I came across an old drawer at a thrift store I thought it might make a great mini auricula theatre. Some even have faux wood curtains just like a real theater. A practice that dates back to the 1700s in England. What's an Auricula Theatre?Īn auricula theatre is a hanging display case for prized auricula primroses. By subscribing, I consent to receiving emails.
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