Volunteer Violas :-))

Love these cheery little guys that pop up where ever they want year after year.
Photo is a bit blurry but shows their great color.
I love these blue-violet ones.
I also have some purple ones and purple and yellow ones too

On the 16h I had to go to my Doctor in a town 3 miles away. While there, we went to see an old friend and behind his barn there were native wild Violets. He said to take as many as I wanted cause they grow wild anyway. I picked up one clump of plain blue, the roots were nice and shallow. Then at another place in town there were blues like yours. I reached down and they came out fast too; but there were bulbis roots at the end of them! They are both native to the north east; but I wonder what makes them different?

~* Robin

Violets are different than Violas (above) and they are also quite invasive (Violets that is) so be careful where you plant them. :)

Ah, but as far as invasive plants go, they are soooo pretty!

Watch out! They get in everywhere- the lawn, underneath your favorite plants. I wouldn't mind, but they always seem to come up inside other plants and they are really hard to pull out completely.

Violets are invasive but Violas are just annuals that re-seed themselves and aren't a problem.

Cottage Rose- I have a mix of VIOLAS in a low round container on my porch and you'd think it was the most spectacular thing in the world, the way people comment on it. It has 4 colors: light lavender, blue-violet (like yours), periwinkle, and white-dusted with pale pinky purple. It's my favorite planting this year.

A couple of years ago, I planted clumps of violas at 1 foot intervals on either side of my front sidewalk. People really seem to love them. I think they give people a warm fuzzy feeling, or remind them of childhood, maybe. I would almost claim they are my favorite plant! They certainly give you the most for the least work.

P.S. I grew some this year from seed, but they still haven't bloomed. Man, they are slow. I chose an azure blue (Himalayan Poppy color) and a whitish yellow with a purple edge. They look so pretty planted in baskets.

Ivy, would you like to to swap seeds?
I have never seen some you've described like the white dusted with pink-purple!
I have my first named Viola I just bought recently.
It is white with splashes of purple.
I will post a pic of it and others I have later today.
I think people love them because of their cheery little "faces. ;-)

Ivy where so you find all those unusual colored Violas anyway??

I don't have any seeds left and I don't really know how to collect them, but if I can figure out where the seeds are I'm happy to share.

I ordered the seeds for the azure blue from Thompson and Morgan. It's called Viola Hybrida Blue Shades. The one with the purple rim is Magnifico.One packet of pansies called Silver Wings failed to germinate. I've ordered from T & M before with good luck.

I hate to tell you that I got tired of waiting for these two to grow big enough to bloom so I went to Walmart and got the 4 purple varieties in 2 0r 3 inch pots.

Another variety I've grown from seed is Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. It's a lovely one that starts white and then changes to light then dark blue. Cuty is another changing color hybrid, I believe.

Sometimes I just see a color I like at the hardware store seed rack or Walmart. I tend to like the purples with yellow or blue and lavender colors.

Harris Seeds has a huge variety to look at, but I think they are a wholesale company. http://growers.harrisseeds.com/cart/search_results.asp?txtsearchparamcat=ALL&txtsearchparamtype=ALL&ilevel=1&txtsearchparamman=ALL&txtsearchparamven=ALL&txtfromsearch=fromSearch&txtsearchparamtxt=violas&x=0&y=0]

This message was edited May 30, 2005 11:07 AM

Ivy
Its easy to get seeds from Violas.
Just let some of the flowers turn into seeds and when they are ready they will pop open and you will see the seeds. Simple!
Sorry I have been too busy to get pictures. Will try today.

Cottage Rose-I will try to collect seeds and send them to you. I don't really know when they do their seed thing, and a couple of them haven't even bloomed yet! I will let you know when I get some.

I also potted up a tin washbin with lettuce seeds (red and green varieties), nasturtiums (Alaska Salmon from Weezingreens), and Johnny Jump-ups. They have all germinated, but it looks like the Johnny Jump-ups did the best. I think there are about 25 seedlings. I wanted a salad garden where I could clip flowers and lettuce at the same time. The lettuce is already up, the nasturtiums have about 1 inch leaves(no blooms) and the JJ's are still little. Maybe they will catch up? Live and learn!

Your white with splashes of purple sounds beautiful. Can't wait to see the picture. Have you seen the variety "Etain"? It has a purple rim and pale yellow all inside. How gorgeous! I will get it for next year. Do you like pansies as well?

Violas will set seeds on any blossoms that aren't dead headed.
Just keep and eye on them since they set seeds fast.
Yes I love Pansies too but its too hot and humid here to keep them going through the summer even in complete shade.
My girlfriend said in Europe thay have a giant Pansy that is alot bigger than the strains we have here.
Boy wish i could get some of those!
I will run out right now and take pics before I forget again.

This is my new named Viola.
It is white with lavender splashes and a small yellow eye.
Not the greatest pic but will give you an idea.


"Rebecca"

This is a black-purple variety that looks like velvet.
Its darker when kept in the shade.

Love this Pansy I have in a pot on the porch

I like its extra rufflely edge

might help if I add the photo! ;-)

Pansy pot from last year

Your photos are smashing! Rebecca is a keeper, she is so lovely. I also like the black - purple one. My neighbor down the street has some of those growing out of her wall. I keep thinking about snatching some seeds...

The pansy pot is lovely- I can't make up my mind which is the prettiest, blue, red or purple... I think I have to say blue. I really wish my "Silver Wings" seeds had germinated. They look similar to the blue ones.

My supposedly Azure Blue violas finally bloomed! They are definitely not azure, but they are pretty. I'll try to get a picture if my camera will let me.

Here's a picture I took of my little pot of lavenders and purples. It's a little overgrown, but I'm waiting for seed!

I wish you could see the light colored ones- they are so pretty, but the color washes out in the picture.



This message was edited Jun 13, 2005 4:43 PM

Thank Ivy and you pot of Violas is BEAUTIFUL! :))

Thank you very much! It looked great at the beginning of the season, but they've grown so much I think they are gonna walk right out of the pot. P.S. I think seeds are coming soon.

Ya mine are looking pretty ratty too. :(
Its been so hot and humid but its finally cooling down. Yeah!

We are having prickly heat weather here, too. It's supposed to cool off tomorrow. I hope so. I have trees and shrubs to plant still. I just couldn't go out there again in 90 degree heat. Besides, my daughter had kindergarten orientation today. Sitting in a broiling hot gymnasium all morning was more than I could handle.

My blues are all popping up now. They are sweet. Camera needs new battery (as always).

Yes I have plants waiting to get planted too but I have been waiting for it to cool off. I have to jump on it tomorrow.

Here are my "azure blue" babies. That's the last time I trust the picture on the seed packet!

well they are still pretty! :))

i love viola's. i planted some seeds last year and they didn't do much of anything, but this spring some of them came up and they were absolutely gorgeous. i'm now hoping they will reseed and move about the gardens outback.
i love these happy little guys & gals.
debi z and franklin

Don't give up! I still have some that "jump up" from the first time I tried to grow them from seed. There are tons of varieties that are out there waiting for you!

I just love seed plants like violas and sweet peas. I have a terrific time growing them, even if I have to buy twice as many packets to get a few beauties. They are so worth it! When you see those little faces or smell the fragrance, you know you accomplished something wonderful. Think how much you spend on other plants and then think of how much joy these little babies bring. For $4.00 you can have little seedlings for years!