Old Irish Primroses go international

Kennedy Irish Primroses Old Irish Primroses abroad.

What a month of activity for a new Irish Plant introduction! Primula Drumcliff and Innisfree are now widely available in USA, Europe and Japan. These are the first two varieties of the Kennedy Irish Primrose range. Following last years St. Patrick’s Day Primrose presentation by Mrs. Fionnuala Kenny to Americas First Lady Mrs. Michelle Obama word is spreading fast about these unique garden Primroses. Drumcliff and Innisfree are the first of many of these old Irish Primroses.

British Gardening greats feature Kennedy Irish Primroses.

On Thursday of last week BBC Gardener’s World visited FitzGerald Nurseries to film a segment featuring the story behind the Kennedy Irish Primroses for Gardeners World programme presented by Carol Klein to air on March 30th. Carol’s piece was set at FitzGerald Nurseries and in the Irish Famine Garden Newmarket Co. Kilkenny where FitzGerald Nurseries has donated and planted a wider range of these old Irish Primroses. The program also focuses on the native Primroses in the Rath (Ringfort) on the family farm immediately beside the nursery where the inspiration for the general Primrose conservation work had been taken.
On March 13th these unique hardy perennial Irish Primroses were written up by Mr. Graham Rice, Editor in Chief of the RHS Encyclopaedia of Perennials on his RHS blog. So high praise indeed coming from such a well respected source and recognition for bringing Primula into its proper standing amongst perennials. Click here to go to RHS Blog piece

American TV and Newspapers feature Kennedy Irish Primroses.

New York
Last week Kennedy Irish Primroses have featured on Martha Stewart Living TV programme on the Hallmark Channel in USA. Plants were included in handout gifts on the show and presented by Lloyd Traven of Peacetree Farm ( in picture on left) as a gift for Martha’s Garden.

Oregon
In Oregon State, Kennedy Irish Primroses have been featured on Gardentime TV as plant pick of the week and plants were supplied by Skagit Gardens of Mount Vernon Washington .
Click here to see video

Washington State
Both Drumcliff and Innisfree were planted alongside our Carex Everest, which is now a top selling plant in USA, outside the famous Irish Landmark pub and streak house in Seattle, FX McRory’s. On Friday this week Pat FitzGerald presents the Kennedy Irish Primrose story to a group at a specially organised Primrose Party in Seattle and meets with Mick McHugh owner of FX McRory’s. Seattle Times columnist Ciscoe Morris has Featured Primula Drumcliff as one of his buys of the week for gardeners in Washington

California

On Tuesday the Primroses feature as a centre piece for a pre show party hosted by gardening author and garden designer Rebecca Sweet during the San Francisco Garden Show week. Kennedy Irish Primroses will be featured at the SFGS by Skagit Gardens of Mount Vernon Washington.

During the following week Kennedy Irish Primroses will be displayed by Pacific Plug and Liner and Skagit Gardens at the California Spring Trials one of the biggest events in the US professional ornamental horticulture industry.

Other Primrose Kennedy Primroses blog pieces

http://fitzgeraldnurseries.blogspot.com/2011/03/gifting-of-kennedy-irish-primrose.html
http://fitzgeraldnurseries.blogspot.com/2011/01/announcing-kennedy-irish-primrose.html
http://fitzgeraldnurseries.blogspot.com/2009/10/famine-garden-at-newmarket-co-kilkenny.html
http://mygarden.rhs.org.uk/blogs/graham_rice/archive/2012/03/13/irish-primroses-new-from-cotswold-garden-flowers.aspx
http://onebeanrow.com/2012/03/16/move-over-shamrocks-here-come-the-irish-primroses/

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