There are two kinds of spring-flowering auricula, the alpine and border.

Border auriculas

They are ideally suited to the British climate, and are typically found in cottage gardens, many having sweetly scented flowers. The yellow varieties, such as the late spring ‘Old Irish Scented’, have the strongest scents. Some old types have splendid names, such as ‘Rosemarket Rackler’ and ‘George Swinford’s Leathercoat’. ‘Old Irish Blue’ is still one of the best and most sought-after border auriculas.

Alpine Auriculas

Auricula site and soil preferences

Provide bright sun or light, partial shade and fertile, well-drained compost. Add handfuls of grit to John Innes No2 and mix well together.

Auricula watering and feeding

Never let them completely dry out or stand in water, which can be fatal. Keep the soil moist and they’ll thrive. And provide a regular liquid feed from early spring until the first flower buds start to colour.

Auricula annual care

Repot every spring, and put the plants in 7.5 to 10cm (3 to 4in) containers filled with fresh soil. Varieties with double flowers are especially hungry, and only produce their magnificent, tightly packed flowers when generously fed.

Auricula propagation

Taking offsets after flowering is the only reliable method of propagation for named auriculas. But this can be a very slow process because sometimes only two offshoots from the central rosette of leaves will appear in a year. They are attached quite low down on the main stem, and it is often possible to tease them away with some roots. Pot them up in small containers, and keep somewhere shady until they are well established. Border auriculas

Auricula site and soil preferences

They need rich, moist soil with light shade for part of the day, ideally around midday. The sunnier the position, the wetter the soil should be. Planting associations

Ideal companions include clumps of pulmonarias, dwarf tulips, wood anemones and small ferns.

Auricula problem solver

P. auricula is susceptible to attack by vine weevils. The plump, creamy-white grubs munch their way through the fleshy roots but, by the time a plant is visibly flagging, it is often too late to act.

A good precaution is to mix soil insecticide into the compost; also grow border varieties in different parts of the garden so that at least some survive. If being grown in a cold greenhouse, make sure that it is well-ventilated to avoid an attack of red spider mites.

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