Two petals pointing up, three pointing down, on evergreen tufts barely six inches high: the violet (Viola) flowers from fall through winter and into spring, depending on the variety. Give it rich, well-drained soil in sun and it will edge beds, boxes and pots with colour, shrugging off frost down to 5°F (-15°C).
| Name | Viola |
|---|---|
| Family | Violaceae |
| Type | perennial |
| Height | 3 to 6 inches (10 to 20 cm) |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Soil | ordinary |
| Foliage | evergreen |
| Flowering | Fall to spring depending on the variety |
Proper planting and care will help you produce nice flowers.
Make the most of the winter blooming of this cute little flower to garner your garden boxes and flower beds and edges with violet.
Planting of violet purchased in pots or containers is best performed during the entire fall, and even up to the beginning of spring.
Provide soil that is quite rich and well drained for beautiful blooming. But ordinary garden soil is fine, too.
When sowing violet from seed, sow in a nursery from early summer to midsummer onwards, up until early autumn.
It is highly recommended to transplant first to a nursery pot after 4 to 5 weeks, and then again to the ground in the following fall or spring.
Violets can be bought as young plants or raised from seed, and each route has its own calendar. Here is the sequence, from sowing tray to final spacing in the ground.
| Stage | When | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sowing in a nursery | early summer to midsummer up to early autumn | Broadcast seeds in seedling soil mix and cover lightly |
| Thinning | As soon as seedlings sprout | Thin to 1¼ to 1½ inches (3 to 4 cm), removing the weakest |
| First transplanting | 4 to 5 weeks after sowing | Move each seedling to a nursery pot |
| Planting pot-grown violets | All through fall, even to early spring | Rich, well-drained soil, though ordinary garden soil is fine |
| Spacing at planting | At planting time | Leave about 6 inches (15 cm) between each plant |
Follow this order and the same plants will carry flowers from fall right through to spring.
Violet only requires little care, perhaps only a bit of watering if the soil dries up.
You can remove wilted flowers regularly (deadheading) to trigger appearance of new buds.
For violets grown in pots, containers or garden boxes, organize a more regular watering so that the soil mix never stays dry for too long.
If the weather gets really hot in your area, high 80s F or more for weeks on end (30+ °C), a better place for your violets would be partial shade.
A disease that will dot your violet leaves with black spots is Septoria.
If the weather is rainy and humid, you’re likely to notice snails and slugs eating a few leaves. If they have a choice, they’ll prefer other more tender plants.
If potted violets wilt although the soil mix is moist, tip one out and look for vine weevil grubs among the roots.
Violets are sold under dozens of names, from tough bedding series to scented heirlooms, and they differ mainly in colour, flowering period and the job they do in the garden. Use this table to match a variety to the spot you have in mind.
| Variety | Flower colour | Main flowering | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Molly Sanderson’ | Near-black, yellow eye | Spring to autumn | Containers, dark contrast |
| ‘Jackanapes’ | Chestnut above, yellow below | Spring to summer | Front of border |
| ‘Columbine’ | White streaked violet | Spring to summer | Edging and troughs |
| ‘Bowles’s Black’ | Velvety black, gold eye | Spring to autumn | Gravel, self-seeds freely |
| ‘Prince John’ | Bright yellow | Spring to autumn | Edging, window boxes |
| ‘Maggie Mott’ | Silvery mauve-blue | Spring to summer | Scented edging |
| ‘Prince Henry’ | Deep violet-purple | Spring to autumn | Edging, small pots |
| ‘Irish Molly’ | Olive-bronze, dark eye | Late spring to summer | Pots, unusual colour |
| ‘Queen Charlotte’ | Deep violet-blue | Late winter to spring | Strongly scented shady edging |
| Sorbet Series | Wide range, many bicolours | Autumn to spring | Winter bedding and boxes |
| ‘Etain’ | Cream-yellow, lilac edge | Spring to autumn | Borders and pots |
| ‘Rebecca’ | Cream with violet flecks | Spring to autumn | Scented pots by a path |
| ‘Freckles’ | White speckled blue | Spring | Ground cover in shade |
| Penny Series | Broad colour range | Autumn to spring | Massed bedding displays |
A very cute winter or spring blooming perennial, it will embellish your flower beds, garden boxes or pot arrangements until spring arrives.
Indeed, some varieties bloom in winter, and others bloom in spring and sometimes even later.
“Horned violet” looks almost exactly like pansy. They actually belong to the same family, but the violet is much more hardy than the pansy is.
The petals is how you can distinguish pansies from violets.
Since violet is particularly hardy, it will resist winder colds very well, even down to 5°F (-15°C).
You’ll be blessed to have flowers blooming all winter long for some varieties, over a relatively lengthy period.
The violet that blooms in spring is perfect paired with tulips which also bloom at the same time!
It is often arranged together with primroses, tulips and forget-me-nots.
