They are perennials. However, many of the multicoloured and large sized modern forms have been bred in Japan, etc and do not overwinter as well as the native P. vulgaris. They should last from year to year but most people treat them as annual.

The only reason I dug up last years prmroses is because they all seemed to become unwell, and nobody knew what was worng. All their suggestions turned out to be wrong.

Hopefully my new ones will stay healthy this time, and be ready to come up again in 2012.

I will have to wait and see.

They often die right down to nothing in the summer, so be patient next year!