Vol 84, Issue No. 1 (Winter 2026)
CONTENTS
The View from the President
Starting Primula Seeds Under Lights by Laurel Chute
2026 Election News
Honoring an Anomalous Legacy By Dean Wiegert
APS Board Members’ Favorite
Go-To Resources for Growing Primula By Danielle Brown-Farrell
2026 Judge Training
Editor Replacement
Board Candidate Bios
Board Minutes November 2, 2026
Officers of the Chapters
THE VIEW FROM THE PRESIDENT
Patricia Hartman
WINTER, APS NEWS OLD & NEW!
Winter storms arrived at the beginning of December, bringing snow coverage and the hope of protection from freezing and low temperatures for Primula and other plants. A white Christmas would be more than just a phrase this year! Snow fell with winds and drifts occurring. Totals for the month continued to climb higher. December 25 arrived, gatherings occurred, and gifts were ex-changed. Others looked forward to the events that would happen next week and in the upcoming months. Warmer vacation spots were planned and booked; New Year’s Eve Parties RSVP’d. I had hopes of another chance to plant bulbs, along with plans for seeds, and collecting my P. vialii seeds, ordering, and starting others. New methods for starting seeds were researched, shared and analyzed.
December had other plans for Juneau, Alaska. The last week of 2025 brought record-breaking snowfall. Totals for December were over 80 inches, setting a new record high for snowfall in December. The New Year of 2026 ushered in more snow and canceled events. Snowfall continued into January, turning to wetter snowfall and then rain. My area was snowbound; locals canceled trips to leave or arrived home early to deal with snow. Some cursed those who had wished for this snow. Some wondered how their Primula would survive under so many feet of snow now blanketing their rest. Primula beds behind my house had over seven feet of snow blanketing their sleep. The greenhouse survived along with other structures due to my husband’s eight hours a day snow removal. Others, who were not so lucky, lost greenhouses, boats, and roofs. Friends and neighbors pulled together, sharing information about snow removal services and costs, updates of service such as garbage pickup, recycling and power outages.
Knowing that, as I write this, it is still early winter, more snow and rain will continue for a few more months. The Primula will survive under the snow; seeds will sprout. Spring will soon arrive for the APS chapters and groups to hold their annual meetings and shows. This year, the Juneau Chapter, Midwest Group and New England Chapter will be holding events at the end of April and May. Check the Chapter happenings in the APS Quarterly Primrose and online for exact dates and functions. Some will feature lectures, garden tours, judged shows, and plant sales.
Last year the APS held a judge training over Zoom and in person. Training will occur again this year on February 21 in Juneau at the Valley Library. Doors will open at noon. We plan on starting the training at 12:30 pm and have the room reserved until 2:45 pm. For those who cannot make it in person, we will have the option to attend over the Zoom link. The more trained judges the APS has for the chapters and groups, the more judged shows can start occurring again. The noon time will be on Alaska Standard Time, so adjust your location accordingly. Juneau is four hours behind Eastern Standard Time. Last year we did record the event and hope to do another recording. Those who are interested in attending in person or via Zoom can find more information online at americanprimrosesociety.org.
For those who are interested in knowing more about the possibilities of forming chapters and groups in your area, please contact us at the APS website. A chapter currently needs to have 10 members who belong to the American Primrose Society. That will give the chapter president a seat on the board and representation for the chapter. It will also increase the number of APS chapters and groups to hold judged shows and share in hosting the National Show. The board in 2025 voted to change from yearly National Shows to every other year. The next National Show should be in 2027. If you are interested in hosting the next National Show, contact the APS. These are often held in conjunction with other garden organizations to help with the cost.
APS will launch a YouTube channel in the next month or two for members only. This will be accessible through the Members Only site on our website. Watch for the notice via email or check our website for the link. Zoom presentation recordings, show prepping, and Judges’ training will be made avail-able on the NEW YouTube channel. If you have any questions or ideas about what you would like to see regarding growing Primula, please contact us through the APS website.