This rare and beautiful primrose grows nowhere else in the world but on the very north cliffs of Scotland and the Orkneys. They start flowering in May and later, and better, in June and July. You can see them in Dunnet Head and Durness on the mainland, and on West Hill Papa Westray and Yesnaby, Mainland, Orkney. On a pouring wet Thursday (8th August 2002) I visited the cliff top site at Yesnaby on the Mainland of Orkney (the big island) to see the Scottish primroses. Yes, after getting extremely wet, I did find them. A whole colony of probably several hundred individual plants were in seed (so I still don't know if they have a scent). If you visit, park at the car park near the old 2nd world war ruins and head South to South East. The colony is about 100 yards inland from the cliffs, between the sea and the wire fence of a neighbouring farm. The plants are much smaller than most primulas, the basal rosette of leaves being barely 2-3inches in diameter, and superficially like that of butterwort when not in flower. There was also Grass-of-Parnassus, Thrift and many other beautiful wild flowers in profusion at this spot. By the way don't forget to check-out the cliffs (they're spectacular) and Skara Brae which is only a few miles away from here.

Primula scotica at Edinburgh Botanical Gardens

click to enlarge

This herbaceous perennial used to be considered a hybrid or variant of Primula farinosa the birds-eye primrose. But was established as a separate species by the famous plant taxonomist Hooker.