Viola tricolor, also known as heartsease, is an easy to grow little plant for containers or planting under shrubs in the border. It is only a few inches high but spreads to about 12 inches. Pretty little flowers, varying in colour from cream and yellow through to dark blue and red/purple, are produced in profusion from May to September.
The larger garden pansy is a hybrid derived from Viola tricolor and is basically similar but with larger flowers and more robust growth. These plants are a valuable addition to any garden as in addition to the summer flowering varieties, there are winter flowering types which start flowering in autumn and will continue to flower in mild weather throughout the winter season. They come in a wide variety of attractive colours and are perfect for filling in gaps in the border and in containers once the summer bedding plants have finished.
I planted some lovely purple/blue pansies in pots last autumn which flowered well during the winter months. I then moved them into the border in spring where they continued to flower well into summer. I have just planted some more winter flowering pansies in pots and hope they will perform as well as last year's plants.
Violas and pansies can be planted in September and October or in March and April. They like fertile, moist but well drained soil in sun or partial shade. Seeds of Viola tricolor can be sown in their flowing site in March or April, thinning out the seedlings as required. Or propagate existing plants by taking 1-2 inch long cuttings of non flowerings basal shoots in July and insert them in equal parts of peat and sand in a cold frame. Pot them on into 3 inch pots when well rooted. They can then be planted out into the garden between September and March.