I've been to a garden group talk about these pretty garden plants. They're also known as Bear's Ear, or Mountain Cowslip, and they're very hardy. It's amazing how some people develop a huge interest and knowledge about just one variety of plant species. It was a most interesting talk about how he became involved with helping on one of the show stands at the Chelsea garden show, and how it led to his lifetime interest in these plants. Of course he had some for sale, so I had to buy one!
Enjoy