The only violas I have are in containers because I bought two of those bowl planted things they sell each spring. One is shades of yellow and cream. The other dark purple. I put those on my back stoop by my kitchen door were I am always going in and out of.
Then I also bought afew cell packs of the most lovely ones called Penny Citrus Mix. They are orange ones and yellow ones mixed and so lovely. I planted those on two large pots at my side door. They really are stunning.
This is the first time I have bought violas. I usually buy pansies but was struck this time both by how lovely the violas look and how nice they smelled.
So now I am interested in violas. What can you tell me about them? Who grows them and how do you use them in the landscape? Do they come back year after year or not? Thanks!
Violas Anyone?
Rita,
On a recent trip to the library's gardening section I came
across a small book called Pansy, Violas and Violets
by Cuthbertson written in 1910. I looked around the net
and there are copies of it still around (reprinted).
There are also forums for violas
http://davesgarden.com/sitewidesearch.php?q=Viola
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/violet/
hope this helps,
Cris
I don't want a book on them, sorry. And those forums have no traffic. Better to ask here on the Cottage Garden Forum.
Cris, I appreciate the info. I'm always happy to follow the research, especially after I've already purchased the flowers. That's when I have the most questions.
Keep sending links!
I have always preferred violas to pansys. I think the flower heads hold up better especially after a rain.
I do not get a lot of reseeding , just a few here and there. Maybe I am pulling them out before they are large enough for me to recognize?
My grandmother use to grow the little tri-colored ones and they reseeded all over the place ...even in her lawn ...kinda like the violets do here.
They get leggy so I cut them back in late may
They just barely hold on in the heat of the summer and rebloom again in the fall. I have had them bloom into December some years in the pots near the house.
Pretty!
Those pics with your bunny are so cute! Perfect setting for the little violas!
Cris, thanks for the links. FYI That book is a classic among viola fanciers.
I grow violas (especially 'johnny jump ups) and have for years. And pansies too. Violas, johnny jump ups, and pansies are a favorite border plant for wintertime in Pasadena CA where we lived before. The heat did them in by June, but while healthy they were beautiful. There were probably thirty varieties available in the nurseries there.
'Pansies' are a hybrid component of the viola clan and I love the ones with faces, especially, but I am very particular to the color range I use. Sometimes they can be too gaudy if not chosen carefully. Although I understand violas can be grown from seed, I buy flats at the nursery in March. I think in cool moist climates you can probably scatter seed in the autumn and have some luck by spring. Well, an obsessively-perfect-lawn-person will surely agree with that since so many wild ones show up in front yards and are dosed with Scott's Halt. But seeding doesn't really work for us.
Labrador violets are another member of the clan and can be so exquisite in a woodland garden. The African Violet is no relation to the garden plants.
I always plant some in the garden and leave my wild violets in the lawn because the frittilary butterfly uses them for host plants and we love to have lots of frits about the garden.
Let's see, what else...? They have pretty good cold tolerance, but not so much for heat, in my experience so when the sun gets really bright and hot the sort of shrivel up. I don't have luck with them as perennials.
And beware of slugs 'cause they can make short work of your viola garden. And rabbits too, of course.
Good luck. t.
I went to a local nursery today and bought a bunch of violas. I had read on the internet that the Sorbet Brand Series was the most winter hardy so I was looking for those. I was lucky and that is what they had. So I bought an entire flat of Sorbet Coconut Swirl. Two six packs of Sorbet Orange Delight and Sorbet Plum Delight plus one six pack of Sorbet Blue Heaven.
I have spots already picked out for them in my mind, that was why I knew how many to buy. We will see how they work out this year. I am hoping they come back for me from the plants next spring.
Sounds beautiful , what color is sorbet coconut swirl, sounds like ice cream?
Its hard to describe.Its light and has a pattern. Very varied from flower to flower. I will take pictures of them all and post them. Just no time today and too late anyway. Might be better if I took the pictures after I get them inground.
Gardenguys, when I googled sorbet coconut swirl, they looked like your photo (Post #7717527). White with a bluish/violet margin. It's delicious.
My violas are all planted. I thought I bought so many of them, yet they dissappeared into the garden in a snap. They do look really nice. I should have thought of this earlier, like in March. Oh well. Will take some pictures soon.
Lets see if this link works. I just ordered these on line. Its a different series than the Sorbert Series but another one thats very cold hardy. Also its a very fragrant one. I love the fragrant ones as the ones in the bowls I bought early this year are very fragrant.
It shows a great picture of them. They are really striking.
Angel Amber Kiss at Harris Seeds.
http://www.harrisseeds.com/Storefront/p-8482-viola-angel-amber-kiss.aspx
Wow that is a striking color.
I just picked up some coleus and it was the fiery color.Must be a good color for this year.
Penny Citrus Mix in a pot.
Sorbet Series before planting.
Planted Violas in the daylily garden.
All those violas I planted awhile back are looking great. Meanwhile I found some new ones to add to the garden today. I got three small pots of Etain, hardy to zone 4 and three larger pots of Rebecca, hardy to zone 5. I know because it said that right on the labels. They have such a nice scent. I already planted them and took pictures which I will post as soon as I get a chance.
Cris - thank you for those links - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7716363 . I appreciate the spirit with which they were offered here. It's sad to divorce the arts from flowers, and fortunately some books do marry information with a transporting turn of phrase.
karen
Karen, I agree. Some of my best info is from articles of years gone by, yellowed with age. I retain everything for future reference. It often clears up questions I was not expecting.
New Etian violas I bought yesterday. I thought they are so pretty. Wonderful scent too.
Pots of REBECCA Violas.
Closeups of REBECCA Violas. These smell wonderful.
Sad to say, my etain violas never came back.
I am hoping they do all come back here. I never had them before, that is violas of any kind so we will see. Sometimes it is just a matter of finding the right place for them.
Your new little violas are very cute. It looks like the hybridizers have been at work in recent years creating some very pretty varieties to feature in the perennial garden.
It does seem that placing perennial violas/violettas in exactly the right garden setting and having just the right winter weather and not too much summer heat would help them survive a bit longer. Around here I'm thinking the Labrador violets might have the best chance for return~~at least when I was a kid we had a nice stand of them in the shady moist part of the yard.
As far as bedding varieties, the 'Icicles' strain is known to be rather winter hardy and will grow thru a fall-winter-spring cycle because it is bred to be pretty cold hardy but then the heat gets them around here. Others act like annuals and seem to succumb to one thing or another. Especially Cincinnati summer heat and humidity. Up north where summers are cooler I think chances are better.
Of course, the kind that grow right in the lawn (v. odorata) don't have any problem with stay power.