When I gaze upon flats of pansies and violas, I always wonder why the word pansy developed into such a negative connotation. Pansy flowers are among the strongest and loveliest of flowers. They withstand cold, and some of the newer cultivars seem to withstand heat too. Without them, my November Bloom Day post hosted by Carol of May Dreams Gardens would be very short because I would only have one photo of a flower, Antirrhinum majus ‘Montego Red,’ snapdragon. But, what a beauty it is.
This dwarf snapdragon is one I search out every spring and fall. Some of the ones I planted last spring in the new bed on the east side of the garage are still living in spite of summer’s hellish heat. I believe they got partial shade from surrounding plants, and this gave them the impetus to live. I also planted a lighter pink version of the same series of snapdragons although I can’t recall the cultivar name. They also performed well. Go figure.
Back to the pansies for I have more photos to show. Although I love that violas are so prolific, I also like the faces of the larger pansies. This year, Helen Weis of Unique By Design Landscaping told me I should plant both together. Her advice is always spot on, so I did. Right now, they are all very small plants, but their roots will grow over the fall and winter, and although battered and bruised, they will bloom the rest of spring. I’ll just pinch off the “offensive bits.” as Helen would say.
Above is my favorite pansy mix for this fall: Strawberry and Cream. I saw them waving their petals in the breeze when I drove by Under the Sun, and I was captivated. So much so, I paid a premium for these babies. I hope they are very cold hardy, but just in case, they are in the bed on the east side of the house. Safer for them and my pocketbook.
Does anyone even say “pocketbook” anymore? Probably not.
Before we go, I must show you one more from a flat Helen had. Isn’t it pretty? I can’t tell you which mix it is, but those colors, yummy.
So many colors in such interesting patterns. Pansies deserve better respect, and really isn’t that definition of the word pansy outdated too? Planting pansies for fall is power indeed.
As I wandered through my garden yesterday to see what was still hanging on, it was the pansies and violas that warmed my heart the most. Even my snapdragons are fading, but the pansies still give me those spots of color in a bare, gray world.
Power to the pansies!!! I have 11 flats of Coastal Sunrise Mix pansies and a few flats of assorted kale…oh, and one flat of dianthus to plant 🙂 I use pansies for my winter containers (I have a lot of containers). Pansies will brighten any winter day 🙂 They smell so good, too 🙂
I love pansys! Even here in hot dry South Dakota I had a container of pansys that bloomed until we got our first snow! I love the character of the pansys in the first picture
Haven’t gotten to my pansies, yet, Dee, but I, too turn to them reliably each year and am deeply grateful for the cheer they bring when all else is pretty much succumbing to winter. I always put them just by the front steps so they offer a lovely welcome to anyone arriving at the door (including me!) 🙂 I use the violas, too. I love that they reseed so generously, always offering a surprise here or there…Love that last pansy particularly. Rich!
Pansies – I love them. Flowers from my earliest rememberings with their sooty faces.
I love violas, and the one in the top picture is very cool. I don’t have luck with the bigger pansies, for some reason. And I do use pocketbook – but only when writing . . .
The conversation might be about how to combine them in something more than a mass planting that looks somewhat out of place in the winter landscape. What do you think?
I agree violets are not weaklings. I love violas also. Freckle face violias are taking over my yard. I also love johnny jump ups.
Lovely pansies. Such happy little flowers. They always make me smile.
These pansies are so pretty! I’ve never seen pink ones, let alone bi-color pinks, offered in any of the garden centers around here. I always plant pansies in containers so they die out over the winter. But I just read an article that they can survive here in zone 5, too, if planted in the ground and covered with a thick mulch. I might just try that before it gets too cold.
Those are some tough snapdragons to have survived the summer heat!
I love pansies, too! I like to buy the six-packs mixed colors that are not yet showing their blooms. That way I get a surprise mixture! Though sometimes for a hanging basket, I’ll plant all one color to make a bold color statement. I thought I would have pansy blooms for GBBD, but they are sitting this one out – saving up their beauty for December, I guess. I do have a Cactus bloom to show for GBBD, so it’s OK, but I’m expecting great blooms in December from the pansies (and January, and February, and March, etc).
Have a blessed day!
Wow, Dee, the last pansy is a stunner and I don’t usually use words like that to describe violas and their bigger cousins! I would also raid my pocketbook to purchase pansies with this much power and wow! gail
I’m wild about violas and pansies. I’ll hope to find some really good violas in late January to add to the ones I’ve already planted. You’ve planted some beauties.
I love pansies and violas, and I especially like when the violas self-sow. I need more of them!
Thanks for joining in for bloom day.
Pansies are indeed the loveliest, and such happy-looking little flowers. I always have to smile when I look at them. Sending hugs, dear friend.
They certainly bridge the gap on both ends of the season of flowers and yours are just lovely.
Love both pansies and violas, Dee. Yours are delightful and a joy to see blooming since even though November has been kind, my garden is totally put to bed.
I love pansies and violas too. Your first one is such a zinger! This fall I went for the dark ones, but I think next spring I’ll have to look for some of the ones you feature, they are all so pretty.
You have just got me motivated to go out and get some violas and pansies and plant them together. Yours look very pretty and I love all the pretty color choices.
Dee i love, love, love pansies and violas. So did i plant any this fall for color and a surprise of color this spring? NO…can’t believe I forgot…so I ordered seed and will grow them for early spring…loving those pansies!!! Happy GBBD!!
I love pansies too. And agree that they don’t deserve that connotation of weak. They bloom here most of the winter and brighten our foggy days.
I don’t like the big pansies but am very fond of the small violas. I have some at the front and back of my house at present. They are puzzling me. The ones at the front of the house are flowering away. (Dont’ know what they are – had sorbet ones last year and they are lovely). The ones at the back of the house are just small blobs of small leaves. Annoying.
Your purple one is delightful.
Your pansies are cute as a button. I always like them no matter when you plant them. They have such sweet faces. Around here very few are offered during fall. I haven’t seen any cabbages either. Heck Christmas trees are already for sale here. Geez.
Oh, Dee, they are so beautiful! What would we do without the pansies and violas? I need to search out those snapdragons, as well. They usually just fry up like bacon and eggs here so have been ignored for several years. Will the snaps make it through your winter, like the pansies?