DOUBLE AURICULAS

Derek and Pat Salt grow double auriculas on the east coast in Lincolnshire in the garden of a small bungalow two miles from the sea. The garden measures a rood.

In 1958 Derek bought a book called "Auriculas" by Roy Genders. This was the start of a life long interest in these plants.

His first plants were purchased from Douglas, Genders and Haysom. Early attempts at growing were not too successful. Plants were grown in the open ground or under cloches, there were many losses.

For many years work took first place and auriculas took a back seat. In 1980 he started to collect plants again and purchased some seed. From this he made some early attempts at breeding. For some years he grew and showed all forms of auricula.

In 1986 Derek took early retirement from his day job to start a Nursery. In the same year he exhibited at his first RHS show. In 1989 he was awarded an RHS Gold Medal the first awarded for auriculas since 1910. During his time at the nursery he raised seed commercially but held back a sample each year to sow and grow on. From these he named a few new varieties.

In 1992 he retired again this time due to ill health. He decided to concentrate on growing double auriculas and crossed almost every plant he had to explore their genetic potential. Seedlings at present range through many shades of blue, yellows from nearly white through to golds and browns, pinks through to reds and stripes.

Derek enjoys growing auriculas along with other primula and other garden flowers. Pat prefers growing food but she does grow snowdrops and hellebores and helps Derek by looking after some of the auriculas.

The sea keeps us cool in the summer because when it gets hot inland cooling breezes are pulled in over the sea. The same sea prevents temperatures from falling too low in the winter.

Most of the garden except for the very bottom is protected from the strongest winds by nearby trees and buildings.

Included in this website is a look at some double auriculas and Dereks method of growing them. Other primulas are included as well along with some of our other favourite plants all of which have been grown here.

The garden also hosts many visitors some of these can be seen at the bottom of the page.

Frogs can be seen in the spring making their way to the pond to produce frogspawn. Within weeks the frogspawn develops into tadpoles which within a short time turn into small frogs. These disperse all over the garden many of them never to be seen again.

The squirrel is a bit of a pest for the sparrows because he eats their nuts.

Occasionally we see a shield bug which does no harm.

The partridges come into the garden in the winter. This one is perched on the fence looking into the kitchen window.

Last in line is the vine weevil a most unwelcome visitor. We inherited these when we bought the bungalow and have almost eradicated them from the garden. Occasionally we find a plant which is showing some sign of vine weevil damage to it's leaves which sends us into another eradication spree.

We have used names for plants that are familiar to us therefore some are common names and some are botanical names. Some of the pictures will link through to a larger image when clicked. This is usually shown by the mouse pointer turning into the shape of a hand.