In a glorious array of colours, auriculas flounce onto the horticultural catwalk each spring, turning heads with their grace and good looks. And even though Simon Lockyer has propagated, potted and primped innumerable Primula auricula flowers, familiarity has not dimmed his love for these spring beauties. “I was barely a teenager when my father bought his first six auriculas. And, when we later exhibited them, I’ll never forget the sense of pride on winning first prize,” recalls Simon from his specialist nursery, W&S Lockyer, which he established with his late father, William Lockyer, in the late 1980s.
In the early days, William worked at menswear specialist Moss Bros, building up collections of snowdrops, succulents and dahlias in his spare time. “I was always helping him in the garden – as…
