🌼 Plant of the Week: Cowslip (Primula veris)
Lincolnshire’s own spring treasure
There’s nothing quite like seeing cowslips nod in the breeze along our hedgerows and meadows. This week, we’re celebrating this native gem – and yes, you can grow it in your garden too.
🌸 Ornamental value
– Delicate, nodding, lemon‑yellow flowers on soft green stems
– Blooms April–May, perfect for wildflower lawns, borders, or pots
– Adds a gentle, “old cottage garden” charm that’s unmistakably British
🐝 Benefits to nature
– A vital early nectar source for bees, butterflies, and hoverflies
– Caterpillars of the Duke of Burgundy fritillary butterfly rely on cowslips, these were last recorded in Lincolnshire in 2022 at Grimsthorpe Castle Estate – let’s see if we can encourage their return by planting their essential caterpillar food plant!
– Helps restore Lincolnshire’s traditional hay meadow character
🌿 Other uses
– Flowers can be candied, made into cowslip wine or soothing tea
– Traditionally used in salves and syrups (high in vitamin C)
– Leaves are edible in salads – a real forager’s friend
✨ Why we love it
Pretty, practical, and pollinator‑perfect – the cowslip does it all.
Come along to our stall at locations across Lincolnshire to pick up a pot or two. You can click here for our next locations.
#PlantOfTheWeek #Cowslip #PrimulaVeris #LincolnshireGardens #NativeWildflowers #BeeFriendly #NoMowMay #EdibleFlowers #WildlifeGardening #BritishMeadows
