Primrose or Polyanthus?

cazziebo

Mojisola wrote: »

Have you seen sparrows on the baskets?

Are they likely to be the culprits? I have a few bird feeders which attract lots of sparrows. Would they only eat the purple flowers?

Mojisola

cazziebo wrote: »

Are they likely to be the culprits? I have a few bird feeders which attract lots of sparrows. Would they only eat the purple flowers?

Sometimes - I've had sparrows being very selective. With us, it was only yellow ones.

Whether they like the colour or whether one particular colour has got aphids on it and that's what the birds are going for, I don't know.

Eenymeeny

cazziebo wrote: »

So I've planted out the primroses and gave in to temptation and also bought some gorgeous yellow ones. Th white, yellow and pink are all looking fabulous - beautiful bursts of colour. However, something seems to be eating the petals of the purple ones. Bizarre, as these aren't in the ground or in planters - they are in hanging baskets!

Any ideas?

We've actually watched field mice remove the red petals and sit and nibble them! Wouldn't have believed it if we hadn't seen it. There must be something in the red/purple petals.

Mojisola

Eenymeeny wrote: »

We've actually watched field mice remove the red petals and sit and nibble them! Wouldn't have believed it if we hadn't seen it. There must be something in the red/purple petals.

I've watched a field mouse do that with some lovely red quince flowers. He nipped off five whole flowers and scurried back under cover carefully carrying each one. It conjured up a picture of his mate sitting in the nest surrounded by blossoms but he probably just ate them!