Pansies and violas are petite annual flowers that beautify gardens each spring. They appreciate a sunny location when temperatures are cool, at the beginning and end of the growing season. Lucky gardeners will find some plants reseeded the following spring.
Using Pansies and Violas
Deep purple pansies set against yellow daffodils or the old fashioned pastels of ‘Imperial Antique Shades’ set against a backdrop of green Junipers will be eye catching in any garden. Use pansies and violas to fill in the bare spots where no spring bulbs popped up.
Small pots of pansies and violas will start off a container gardening season with a rainbow of bright colors. Gardeners are able to set out containers filled with pansies; well before the frost-free dates most northern gardeners must follow.
Early spring butterflies will benefit from the nectar offered by colorful pansies. A butterfly garden is the perfect place to add pansies and violas.
In vegetable gardens, container or in ground, plant pansies or violas among the early, cool season vegetables. The vegetable garden will be a feast for the eyes, as well as the taste buds.
Pansies and violas are edible flowers many cooks appreciate:
· Using pansies to dress up ice rings is a cool attraction in a punch bowl.
· The petals of pansies or violas added to salad are a colorful change of pace.
· The colorful flowers can be crystallized and used to decorate the edge of a cake.
Growing Annual Pansies
The pansy plant is a tough annual, 4 – 8 inches tall and with a spread of 12 inches. The viola plant is slightly smaller with profuse but dainty flowers. Each type is equally colorful. They thrive in full sun to part shade and need moist well-draining soil.
Gardeners should look for pansies with sturdy stems and upward facing blooms. Deadheading both types of flowers will ensure healthy plants. Remember to replace any worn out pansies or violas with more heat tolerate plants, as midsummer temperatures increase.
All America Selections
There are many varieties of pansies and violas to choose. To extend the season, choose heat tolerant cultivars. Some All America Selections include ‘Majestic Giants,’ ‘Maxim Marina,’ and ‘Imperial Antique Shades.’ The pansy ‘Jolly Joker’ is an All America Selection with velvet looking, purple and orange petals. The ‘Bingo Blotch’ series have 3 ½ “ flowers with shorter stems. Violas ‘Sorbet Tiger Eye’ has a gold color and ‘Valentine,’ a red and white flower. The Viola ‘Skippy XL Plum-Gold’ is the All America Selection for 2008.
Additional resources: Shade Plant Ideas for Flower Gardens
Permission received for all photos used in this article.
Chris Eirschele - Chris writes on plants grown and gardens explored; she is a member of the Garden Writers Association.
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