The Cowslip - One of Nature's finest . .

In this video we revisit the beautiful Cowslip and see how it's spread through a natural meadow that I created 12 years ago.
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Joel Ashton
#Cowslip #PrimulaVeris #Garden #WildlifeGarden #WildlifeGardening #Gardening #EnglishGarden #Wildlife #Wildflowers #UKWildflowers #Meadow #SpringPlants #SpringMeadow

[@Crina-LudmilaCristeaAuthor]

One of the prettiest flowers! Thank you for sharing!💛

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you - I really appreciate this :) Best wishes, I hope you are having a good weekend - Joel

[@user-id7xy1ci3c]

Absolutely love your ' channel'. Was on M40 from Banbury to Beaconsfield and return last week...and both embankments were swathed in cowslips. Glorious sight! 18-20 April 2023. With love, Caroline

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you Caroline! So nice to receive this message. It really is quite breathtaking, the sight doubled by the knowledge that there's all that nectar ready for those early emerging bees :) So glad you got to see it. Best wishes, Joel

[@susiewebb5669]

I bought some cowslips from your shop last year and then some more this year and they have fast become one of my favourite flowers. They are thriving in my garden in sun and shade, and have some tiny ones which really are 'cute'. Thanks again.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hey Susie! Sorry, just trying to make sure I catch up with everybody :) So glad to hear this, and thank you for supporting the online shop, it's growing because of people like you :) I hope you're having a great weekend - best wishes, Joel

[@jamesdigby6072]

I ordered some cowslip plug plants from the Wild Your Garden shop a few weeks ago. Don’t think they will flower this year but hopefully they will next year.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thanks James - you may well get one or two flowers this year but the first year they will settle in and bring many blooms next year, that's guaranteed - all the cowslips featured in this video come from the same place and stock as yours :) I really appreciate your custom. Enjoy the rest of the weekend, best wishes - Joel

[@finight5863]

This is good entertainment for my family. Will check out again.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you so much - sorry for the delay in responding, I am just trying to catch up with everyone - I appreciate this though - best wishes and I hope you and your family are having a good weekend - Joel

[@keithroberts42]

Reminds me of my visit to Denge wood, a butterfly conservation area, a carpet of cowslips on Bonsai bank and a nice number of Dukes, and also the timid little White Sable moth. Must go again.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hey Keith, I really should join you when you go again, so much work all over the country (not a complaint!) means my schedule is pretty erratic at the moment, but I'm determined to get to you this year :) Best wishes to you and yours - Joel

[@phedrob3735]

I've watched quite a few of your vids on wildflowers and it's amazing just how many of them I now see and recognise in all sorts of places, not just in gardens. I used to think they were weeds but now recognise them for what they are. My fifteen minute walk to the shops seems to have taken on an extra dimension!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hey Rob - this is so good to read, really it is, I am absolutely chuffed your walk to the shops is now educational as well as purposeful :) Thanks so much for this - I hope you're having a good weekend and you'll be a master of wildflowers in no time - best wishes, Joel

[@UkAmphibians]

Brilliant Joel been driving up the m1 today and it’s nice to see them growing at the side of the motorway 🐸💚🐸

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hey - hope you were off somewhere nice :) They do seem to love the roadsides and it's so good to see them not being disturbed and hopefully providing a lot of nectar for many bees at this time of year - enjoy the rest of the weekend, safe journey - Joel

[@PaulOutdoors]

The cowslip really is a cracker (and very cute 😁) Joel. I enjoyed driving along the A417 towards Swindon a few days ago seeing swathes of them decorating both sides of the road for miles. Beautiful. My hedge bottom is alight at the moment with Cowslips, Primroses, Dandelions, Garlic Mustard and Bluebells. Glorious 👍😊

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Haha @ cute! The motorway verges are looking fantastic for sure, I'm determined to come and see this hedgerow of yours this year :) Catch up properly soon - best wishes as always - Joel

[@TheAmclar]

I think they would be a great addition to my wildlife meadow and would just about precede the red and white campion. Thanks for that Joel, I'll try to find a little space.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

They certainly would Angela, absolutely :) Couldn't think of a better setting than your wonderful garden - hope you and the family are having a good weekend, stay safe and well - best wishes, Joel

[@FeraForus]

Really lovely to see all that cowslip! I walked in an ancient woodland today and although there was no cowslip there was an amazing amount of other plant life going on.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

No better place to walk I think, I hope you're having a great weekend, best wishes as always - Joel

[@chrisgale5634]

Wonderful! Great to see!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you Chris - hope you and yours are having a good weekend, a lot more updates to come from this site - take good care, best wishes - Joel

[@pauldurkee4764]

I have introduced cowslip to my mother's front lawn but it's a struggle to get them established. Since I stopped using lawnfood, we now have Primrose, cowslip, violets, selfheal and clover.👍

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

That lawn sounds fantastic Paul, and in a front lawn even better as I bet it is a real showcase of how beautiful these areas can look, and how much wildlife they attract - lucky mum! Best wishes - Joel

[@rosethorne9076]

While I was dog walking yesterday, I spotted a clump of cowslips. They are gorgeous.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hey Rose, we've had wonderful weather for dog walking :) So glad you noticed these often un-sung nature "heroes" and their vital contribution to so many early pollinators. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and best wishes - Joel

[@rosethorne9076]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton when I spotted them, I took a closer look at them and then Bailey the dog took a close look as well. So there we were staring intently at cowslips. We must have looked a bit mad. 😂. Enjoy your weekend and thank you for your wonderful video's. Woof! 🐾

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@rosethorne9076 🤣Thank you Rose, you too! Best wishes, Joel

[@SisterDogmata]

I've never seen so many in one place. Beautiful. Yellow flowers always make me smile for some reason. No otters today Joel but the three year old heard a hippo so be careful if you ever visit! Hope you got some R and R! Best wishes.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hippo - laugh out loud, literally! I am so pleased with this site, so many more videos to come from here, it's just finding the time as usual! A bit of admin etc still to catch up on but tomorrow I'm determined to just do nothing! :) Take good care and enjoy the rest of the weekend with your family - Joel

[@markhunter2244]

Wow amazing never seen so many in the one place. I really need to get some, they would be great to mix in with the primroses 🐝

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hey Mark - they really are great, when the primroses have done their bit the cow-slips soon follow, providing more vital nectar for those early pollinators emerging. Hope you're having a good weekend, best wishes - joel

[@utethornburg7715]

We use to have a lot all over, but now with the farmers fertilizing the fields they are few and far between.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Such a shame Ute, this is a private client's meadow and no farmers come near it thankfully, but I do see what you see - we can help by making sure our own greenspaces cater for all those creatures desperately in need of habitat they are losing daily. I do hope you have a good weekend, best wishes to you - Joel

[@EasyHikes4810]

I think the cowslip maybe a nice addition to my evergrowing list of wildflowers to be planted on the property as they are rated pretty hardy and an early bloomer in spring. Besides these are great for insects and bees so win-win🙂 Being a non native flower for north America I ll have to read a bit more on these to ensure it can take the long cold winters. Have a great weekend, Joel, and take care.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Oh we'll find some, for sure - can't wait to research all this with you of course and, without wishing this year away, roll on 2023! Best wishes to you all - Joel

[@Bow-to-the-absurd]

Very popular on roundabouts these days in the south east

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Yes - so good to see round this way and a FEW but unfortunately not all verges seem to have been left, I think it depends on the local council of course but it's heartening to see, at last :) Hope you're having a good weekend. Best wishes, Joel

[@wildlifegardener-tracey6206]

They are gorgeous Joel and I’ve a few around my garden now. They’re doing okay on my clay soil not spreading as fast possibly but doing well.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hey Tracey, that's so good to hear - they will keep increasing I am sure - best wishes, Joel

[@thelionofjudah6175]

They're edible, good for insomnia

[@swedneck]

Trivia: Cowslip is protected in sweden, where it's called "Gullviva" in reference to it's golden colour. This means you may pick some for yourself, but you may not remove or damage the roots or collect the flowers for commercial usage.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Love a bit of trivia, thank you :) Seems like a good rule to me, we need more rules like this - hope you've had a good weekend, best wishes - Joel

[@davidcobb8422]

My cowslips one's what I bought from your website last year are looking great in my mini perennial wildflower meadow Joel .

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Fantastic David - that's great :) Hope you're making the most of this beautiful weather, can't wait to see it real soon - best wishes, as always - Joel

[@micksmusicchannel]

It is a delightful little plant for sure Joel and a cascade of cowslip is perfect 😁

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thanks Mick, agreed :) Have been thinking about you and Zeus, I do hope you and the family are having a good weekend - best wishes, Joel

[@micksmusicchannel]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thanks Joel. Zeus didn't have a very good day yesterday and I fear we might not have long left with him. He's still having something to eat and pottering around the garden. Ad soon as either of those two things stop happening I'll have to make that painful decision

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@micksmusicchannel So sorry to hear this Mick, having gone through it twice in the last 5 months I feel your pain. It's a hard burden that decision, but one we make with kindness and upon knowing it's the best all round - take good care of yourself, much love to you and yours - Joel

[@micksmusicchannel]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thank you so much Joel

[@petermoore7315]

Another inspiring video. Thanks. I was lucky to start my planting with some cheap supermarket plants. Supplemented by Internet plug plants. No success from a packet of seeds. Enjoy your day of rest

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

So glad you enjoyed this Peter - I hope you've enjoyed the weekend so far and have sunshine where you are too :) Best wishes and thank you - Joel

[@botanicaltreasures2408]

I live in South Carolina. I haven’t seen any cowslips here but we have evening primroses which are related and have yellow flowers. The evening primroses can grow very tall, so probably better at the edge of a clearing or in a wild border than in a lightly managed lawn for walking in.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi there - sorry for the delay, just trying to catch up with everyone :) I love evening primroses, such important nectar for moths of course - I hope you're having a great weekend, best wishes - Joel

[@botanicaltreasures2408]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton 🌼🙂

[@debbiehenri345]

Excellent video. I grew some Cowslips from seed some years ago, but have always been a bit concerned about where I can plant them. I've kept the plants in a small border for now, with one exception growing in my 'forager's hedgerow' to the south of the garden as an experiment (where it's doing okay despite the longer grass). Didn't know they favoured calcareous soils - mine isn't, but there's a load of old mortar been dumped in my garden at some time and this makes it tricky finding plants to suit. Will transplant one in Autumn to try. Hearing they will be fine in shade is helpful to know too - as this makes them an easier subject for a little guerrilla gardening too.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you Debbie - yes they're a very versatile plant and have adjusted to grow in clay and most soil types so they should do very well - shade too of course :) Hope you're enjoying the weekend, best wishes as always - Joel

[@elizabethwoodhouse9461]

I've just sown some seeds of native cowslips and primrose so fingers crossed they germinate

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

I hope they do too Elizabeth, they do self-seed pretty well as is evident from this site, when they're plug plant size or larger they'll be ripe for planting and will bring so many rewards next year :) Hope you're having a good weekend, best wishes - Joel

[@kevingallagher4673]

Just noticed I have this in the garden ,for ages was thinking it was primrose but looking at it now it is Cowslip ..

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Glad this was helpful Kevin - they're very similar and I think the common garden plant seen too is the candelabra primula, it must've come from these somewhere along the way :) Hope you're having a good weekend, best wishes - Joel

[@karlitobergkamp8082]

Cracking flower Joel. Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe tue cowslip is the flower of Northamptonshire 🤔

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

You're right, Surrey and Worcestershire also have this as their county flower I believe - they're so vital for early pollinators and so overlooked usually - hope you're enjoying the weekend so far - stay safe, best wishes - Joel

[@itsmewende]

They are lovely, I don't think I've seen any around my area here in the states. We do have clay soil, even tho I'm 15 minutes from the Chesapeake bay and 90 from the Atlantic.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hey Wende - I understand they are not native to US but were introduced many many years ago and have naturalized in eastern North America from Quebec and Ontario, south to Michigan, New York and Connecticut.... so they may have not come far south enough for you - either way, you're so lucky to be living near that wonderful bay! I must do a tour of US one year, there are so many wonderful places (and people!) that I would love to see, I've been before but not to these places and there's so many states on my list :) Hope you're having a good weekend Wende, best wishes - Joel

[@itsmewende]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton This weekend has been the best in a few weeks now. Digging and planting all day, wears me out, but it feels great. Maryland offers a lot of history, and some open gardens, not to mention the wild ponies down the coast, from Maryland to North Carolina. I have a small apartment on airbnb, it would be my pleasure to have your family visit. I'm 5 minutes from Blackwater National Refuge and the Harriett Tubman National Museum. Lots to see and do. Hope your weekend has been sunny and fun.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Wow - NOW you've got me daydreaming again! 😁What a fantastic place this sounds, Nikki has been pretty close a few times in the past, on business to DC but didn't have time to venture much further than the capital. I believe you've got the highest number of Bald Eagles in that refuge there that is Blackwater. I seriously hope to get there in the next 2 years - Canada and New York next year so far (for work) but if I could wrangle a detour at the same time I will let you know. Thanks so much for your generosity and support Wende, that's made my day 🙂Best wishes and take a rest now and again - Joel

[@hulmedav]

I have a wide wild flower border around my allotment and have massive swaiths of them on my heavy clay soil. I grew them from seed which I sat in my freezer for a few weeks before starting them in my greenhouse.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

This sounds fantastic Dave - well done you! Seeds do well with that "cold snap" and it sounds like you did everything right - hope you're having a good weekend, best wishes - Joel

[@joemyers5302]

Another plant ive recently bought. Have you been following me around garden centres?

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Haha! Did you not hear me whispering "buy from www.wildyourgarden.com... go on...." ha! Joking of course, so glad you have these now, they're so important for early pollinators and you'll be rewarded Joe - best wishes, Joel

[@mitchl5220]

Do duke of burgundy butterflies only lay their eggs on cowslips or do they settle for other primulas as well?

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hey Mitch, sorry for the delay, but you're right - they will lay on other primulas such as primrose :) Hope this helps, best wishes - Joel

[@mitchl5220]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi and no worries! I was just curious about its distribution wondered what was stopping it from being more widespread

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@mitchl5220 Hey Mitch - as always it's a lack of vital habitat, Kent is a big stronghold for these and also a local spot where I used to live in Lincolnshire (I really should put the footage up that I have of them and find time to do videos on individual butterflies, so much footage over the last 15 years or so) but the numbers in Kent were helped by improving grassland and some work with the forestry commission/woodland management. I am trying to remember the specific areas of Kent, but I'm sure a google search could get you close. So glad to see someone clearly interested in them, they do need more publicity - best wishes, Joel

[@mitchl5220]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Ahh, it's a real shame as I'd love to see them in staffordshire. Maybe one day 😅 Thank you for the informative responses!

[@markanty5715]

The genus name should always be capitalized and written first; the specific epithet follows the genus name and is not capitalized...?!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

I'm not so sure most people would be searching the latin name but the name they know the flower by most commonly, ie Cowslip. It's more than usual that the first part of the latin/scientific name is capitalised, and that applies to use by Kew Gardens, RHS, Woodland Trust etc etc. I appreciate your input though Mark, thanks. Best wishes - Joel

[@markanty5715]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thanks for the reply! For the scientific community the genus should be capitalized, and the species should not.