Viola Rose Shades - Swiss Garden Pansy Seeds

Viola hybrida Rose Shades is a perennial that is often grown as a  biennial or even an annual. This compact, bushy variety produces an abundance of flowers in delicious rose shades. Each flower features a bright, golden yellow eye, surrounded by fine, dark whiskers and exudes a delicate fragrance. Ideal for decorating borders and spring or summer window boxes, this pansy is easy to sow and easy to grow in humus-rich soil, in the sun or in partial shade.

Garden pansies, sometimes referred to as the Swiss Giant Pansy, are actually hybrids which are grouped together in the Viola x wittrockiana group. They belong to the family Violaceae and are usually grown as annuals or biennials, although they are theoretically perennial, even if short-lived. The variety 'Rose Shades' is a compact, branched plant that forms dense, slightly spreading clumps measuring 20 cm high and 30 cm wide. It blooms from late winter to late spring, or from late spring to late summer, depending on the date of sowing. The 'Rose Shades' pansies bear slightly fragrant, large, open flowers in various shades of rose with luminous white blotches at the base of their petals. The bright yellow centre is surrounded by fine dark lines, also known as 'whiskers', giving the plant a very lively appearance. The medium green leaves are elliptical and largely crenate.

If you like having it in the garden, you will appreciate it most in a window box sitting on a window sill, where you can have it right under your nose without having to venture out into the cold weather. Combine with primroses, wallflower, grape hyacinth, common daisies... and even with ornamental grasses such as the graphic Japanese sedge for a very modern looking setting.

Pansy petals are edible and their colours will bring a touch of originality to your salads and pastries. For this use, just grow them as you would your vegetables, in the most natural way possible.