Caring for Violas in the Garden
Soil: Violas grow best in rich, moist, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Use a slow-release fertilizer into the soil if planting in a container.
Water: Water regularly, but allow to dry out between waterings.
Sun: Violas like full sun, but not the heat it brings. This isn’t a problem in cool spring temperatures , but when planting in the fall, make sure they get some shade during the hottest part of the afternoon. Mulch and water will help offset the stress of high temperature.
Maintenance:
- To promote blooming and extend the flowering period, remove or deadhead faded flowers by pinching off the blooms at the base of the flower stem.
- You can revive leggy or overgrown plants by cutting them back to about 3-4 inches tall.
Insects and Diseases: Violas are easy to grow, with few disease or insect problems.
- Powdery Mildew and Botrytis (Gray Mold) - Don’t let your plants sit in cool, wet conditions. Make sure your violas get plenty of sunshine and have good air circulation.
- Aphids - Wash off with a strong stream of water, or, for severe problems, treat with an insecticidal soap.
Suggested Varieties from the National Garden Bureau
- ‘Helen Mount’ is a popular Johnny-jump-up (Viola tricolor). This open-pollinated variety has small, 3/4-inch diameter flowers in purple, lavender, and yellow. It is readily available in seed packets from retail stores and mail order catalogs, as well as bedding plants from nurseries and garden centers. ‘Helen Mount’ easily reseeds, producing plants similar to the parent plants.
- Classic, older varieties of Viola cornuta include:
- ‘Arkwright Ruby’ with dark wine red flowers and golden centers and edging.
- ‘Chantreyland’ is popular for its large apricot-colored flowers.
- ‘Yellow Perfection’, ‘White Perfection’ and ‘Blue Perfection’ are named for the clear color of their blooms. These varieties are all open-pollinated.
- ‘Arkwright Ruby’ with dark wine red flowers and golden centers and edging.
- Newer open-pollinated varieties of V. cornuta:
- The ‘Princess’ and ‘Velour’ series. These are early blooming with 1-inch blooms. ‘Princess’ opens in shades of blue, purple and yellow and bicolors; and ‘Velour’ is available in 20 colors and 3 mixes.
- Many excellent hybrid violas are available mainly as bedding plants. Hybrid varieties offer exceptional garden performance, good flower production, and uniform growth.
- ‘Sorbet™’ violas come in more than thirty colors including beautiful pastel and two-tone colors on compact plants reaching 6-8 inches tall.
- ‘Penny™’ violas are available in shades of light blue, deep blue, purple, violet, white, yellow, orange and red. Some have whiskers and blotches (faces) others are bicolor. They have a mounding garden habit and flower continuously.
- ‘Sorbet™’ violas come in more than thirty colors including beautiful pastel and two-tone colors on compact plants reaching 6-8 inches tall.
- In 2006, ‘Skippy™ XL Red-Gold’, a hybrid Viola cornuta, was the first viola to win an All-America Selections award for superior garden performance. The large, 1 1/2-inch flowers are ruby red with violet-red shading below a golden yellow face with the trademark whiskers or markings. The ‘Skippy™’ series has many other colors, including bicolors.
- One of the largest flowered violas is the hybrid ‘Patiola®’ series, combining the flower size of pansy with the hardiness of violas. Flowers grow to 2 inches in diameter and bloom in yellow, blue, orange and violet. The newest color in the series is brick red with a golden yellow center.
- Trailing violas have a low growing, spreading habit that is perfect for hanging baskets, containers or use as a groundcover. There are several hybrid varieties available.
- ‘Erlyn’ produces tricolor purple and yellow flowers that cover the plant.
- The ‘Splendid’ series has 1-inch flowers in white, yellow, and blue and yellow. Plants spread up to one foot in diameter.
- ‘Erlyn’ produces tricolor purple and yellow flowers that cover the plant.
Design Suggestions
Containers: Viola’s size, compact habit, and long flowering period are perfect for containers. Trailing varieties are exquisite in hanging baskets and tumbling over the edge of containers and window boxes. Edging: Mounded plants make a lovely edging along a path or to define a garden border.
Natural Settings: Violas are as at home in woodland settings as they are filling crevices in rock walls.
Combinations: Combine with other cool weather lovers like: snapdragons, calendula, and Dianthus. Or tuck violas between spring flowering bulbs such as tulips and daffodils to fill the space as the bulbs fade.
Cut Flowers: Violas also look wonderful indoors, in bouquets and arrangements. You’ll notice the scents more when they’re indoors.
BONUS: Edible Flowers
Don’t forget that viola flowers are edible and make unexpected garnishes and salad ingredients. Or use them to decorate cakes and jams. They can also be candied, for a frosted effect.
Here are some easy growing viola tips.
