Plant a rainbow of colour in the garden and welcome in spring with primulas and polyanthus, the Horticultural Trades Association’s (HTA) ‘Plant of the Moment’ for March.

These cheerful bedding plants offer great value, flowering their hearts out for weeks on end to brighten your outlook on even the dullest of days.

New varieties are continually being bred offering outstanding garden performance, larger flowers and better resistance to the vagaries of our weather. Although single-coloured flowers are always popular also look out for bicolours, double and rosebud types, plus wonderfully scented new varieties too.

Bold blocks of primulas always look striking, but impressive displays can also be created by combining them with other spring bedding, flowering bulbs and foliage plants too. Small pot grown plants are available now in full flower, making them perfect for creating instant displays in any garden, patio or courtyard.

Top primulas for summer colour

Japanese Candelabra Primula (Primula japonica)

Chinese Candelabra Primula (Primula beesiana)

orange Bulley’s Candelabra Primula (Primula bulleyana)

Top tip

Cheeky sparrows and other birds sometimes peck at primroses, damaging their blooms. It’s hard to stop these antics, especially with plants growing in borders, but try moving pots closer to the house to scare them away. Some people have noted that blue varieties often avoid their attentions.

Planting combinations

Here are some ideas of the flowers you could choose as companion plants for primulas and polyanthus.

• Bedding Daisies (Bellis)
• Bugle (Ajuga)
• Daffodils and Narcissus
• Forget-me-nots (Myosotis)

Visit www.the-hta.org.uk/plantofthemoment for more information and to download the media pack which features: plant information for each month including top plants, tips and companion plant ideas, high and low resolution photos, plus Point-of-Sale samples from Floramedia and Hortipak.