Primroses

There is nothing that says that spring is here more than flowers bursting into bloom, and the primrose in today’s picture is one of the first wildflowers to appear. The name “primrose” even attests to this, as it’s derived from the Latin “prima rosa”, meaning “first rose”.

These pretty pale yellow flowers can be found at the base of hedgerows, as well as in grassland and woodland, and they’re a great source of nectar for butterflies. In the UK, in order to protect the species and preserve it in its natural habitat for the future, it’s illegal to pick the flowers or to remove the plants from the wild.

Fun fact: Primroses were the favourite flower of British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli, who served the country briefly in 1868 and then from 1874 to 1880. He and the reigning monarch, Queen Victoria, were close friends. Knowing that the primrose was his favourite flower, the Queen used to send Disraeli bunches of them from Windsor Castle and Osborne House, her residence on the Isle of Wight.

Disraeli died on 19 April 1881, and for the next forty or so years, the anniversary of his death was known as “Primrose Day”. On that day, his favourite flowers were laid on his grave in the churchyard at Hughenden, Buckinghamshire, and at the statue of him which stands in Parliament Square in London.

Thanks to the Woodland Trust and Wikipedia for some of the details above.