Show Us Your Viola Volunteers!

Every year, I plant violas under lights indoors to plant and sell. Every spring, little volunteers pop up from last years plants. Often, the volunteers are more beautiful than the cultivars I plant. I love these cross-pollinating, persistent little fellows. They pop up in the beds, they pop up in the yard, they pop up in the driveway. Some I move, some I mow around, and some fall victim to our everyday life, but they are always a delightful surprise.

To start things off, here is a tall terracotta planter that is filled with volunteers from last year. As I recall, I planted Princess Mix or Scotch Strain then. Their children are a varied lot and most welcome.

Here's a closeup of the little maroon and yellow ones.

Here are the blue ones.

And the yellows.

And then, of course, there is this little fellow:

And this one:

This little fellow is growing in the grass next to the planter.

I love violas! It's still too hot here for them, but I always plant some in the fall. I have found them to be much hardier than pansies, but I love their scent!

I forgot that southern climes must plant the viola family for winter enjoyment, nathalyn. We'll have to resurrect this thread when they start blooming down your way!

I love the markings on this little fellow.

Weez--you must have a perfect climate for violas. I've never seen such pretty 'volunteers' in our yard--summer beats them up too bad (and spring is too short to really enjoy them). So nice to see your pics. t.

Thanks, tobasco. My yard is surrounded by trees, and our summers are generally pretty mild. The rains of fall will usually bring on mildew, or whatever these little fellows get, but most of the year they are reliable garden buddies. The blues and purple/yellows seem to be the best re-seeders, so it was nice to see such a variety in the pot this year.