The message
from Lazarus Cooke contains these words:


1 I have a damp patch in my London garden under a tree, facing the
window. I'd like to grow primula vulgaris there. Do I just scatter
seed? When?

Spring. A packet of primrose seeds will cost almost as much as a
plant. Seedlings take several years to flower. For a quicker effect, and
flowers this year, buy a plant in a pot from a GC, and increase it by
division next autumn.

2 The Daffodils that I bought from Safeways at a penny each (thanks
to the advice of this NG) are sproouting all over the garden. So are my
snowdrops and the odd crocus that the squirrel has left. I've just
split some snowdrops, but I'd love all my bulbs to self-seed. Do they
do this, and what proportion is it worth leaving the flowers on for
this to happen?

The snowdrops and crocus will self-seed easily and all the new plants
will be much the same as their parents. I'd leave all their flowers on
for that reason. Narcissi do set seed, but less readily, and when they
eventually flower the new plants are less likely to look like the
parents. I'd nip off the narcissi seedheads when the flowers fade; this
encourages the leaves to die back more quickly. Don't take the leaves
off, they feed next year's flowerbulb.

3 My aged mother (92) tells me there's nothing wrong with cutting
snowdrops for indoors. I'd never disagree with a parent, but is she
right?

Yes, snowdrops make lovely cut flowers (I usually set them off against
ivy leaves or fresh green moss). The honey scent is much more noticable
indoors and you can appreciate the subtlety of form and markings better,
close to. It won't harm the bulbs. You can also cut some of your
daffodil flowers to enjoy indoors.

Janet.