I have always loved growing anything that is scented and fell in love with the Auricula family many years ago. The Auricula is a primula. The primula genus is divided into many groups or sections, including candelabra, polyanthus and auricula (the auriculastrum section).
In the Mid-1500s Auriculas were grown in Viennese gardens and from 1570 onwards Flemish wool weavers settled in Norwich, Ipswich, Rochdale and Middleton, bringing their prized auriculas with them.
The earliest reference to auricula growing in Britain was made in John Gerard's The Herball with the entry 'Most of them do grow in our London gardens' in 1597.
1620-1685 Huguenot refugees began to arrive in Britain (reaching a peak between 1670-1680), bringing auriculas with them.
The National Auricula Society was formed in the United Kingdom in 1873.
Many of the Auriculas have splendid names such as Lord Saye en Sele, Honeymoon,Rajah and Hinton Fields.
Be warned once you start collecting you never stop
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