One of the delights of the garden in springtime is that things pop up unexpectedly. I'd forgotten that I planted some dainty little Oxlips last year. Primula elatior is a woodland relative of the Cowslip (Primula veris). I should plant some more of them because I haven't been to able to establish any Cowslips as I hoped I might. P. veris likes a chalky soil in the open whereas P. elatior favours light shade and heavy clay so is more suited to this particular garden.
 Oxlips are rare in the wild though Cowslips can sometimes be prolific in spots where their habitat hasn't been lost to intensive farming. Both are related to the Common Primrose (Primula vulgaris) which is indeed common in town and country.