Viola Matrix Midnight Glow - Medium-flowered Pansy

The Viola x wittrockiana Matrix F1 'Midnight Glow' is a hybrid pansy with medium-sized flowers, offering an abundance of very elegant, tricoloured flowers, v, combining light purple with yellow in the lower petals under the wings of the black petals on top. They are very uniform and appear from spring to autumn on compact, free-flowering, cold, disease and heat resistant plants. This variety starts up very well in spring and does not bolt with the first heat, ensuring a long flowering period. It is easy to grow in humus-rich and moist soil, in a sunny or semi-shady situation.

Garden pansies, sometimes called Swiss giant pansies, are actually hybrids that are grouped in the Viola x wittrockiana group. They belong to the Violaceae family and are most often grown as annuals or biennials, though they are actually short-lived perennials. The 'Matrix F1 Midnight Glow' variety is a bushy plant that quickly forms compact slightly spreading clumps, 20 cm (7.9 in) high and 20 to 30 cm (7.9 - 11.8 in) in spread. It flowers from late winter to late spring, or from late spring to late summer. The Matrix F1 'Midnight Glow' pansies have open, medium-sized, slightly fragrant flowers displaying elegant tricoloured flowers with intricate patterns. The three lower petals show a tiny bright yellow heart, surrounded by a beautiful black blotch that extends into fine "whiskers" on a bright yellow area, itself covered in light purple to lavender right up to the edge. The two upper petals are velvety black. The medium green leaves are elliptical and broadly crenated.

In the garden, they are at their best in window boxes, on the windowsill, where you can have them right under your nose whilst keeping them sheltered from the cold. Try combining them with primroses, wallflowers, grape hyacinths, daisies... and even with grasses like Japanese sedge for a graphic, contemporary effect.

Pansy petals are edible, their colours will bring a touch of originality to your salads and pastries. For this, think of growing them as you would grow your own vegetables - as naturally as possible.

Note: Please be aware that our young plant plugs are professional products best suited to experienced gardeners: upon receipt, transplant them as soon as possible, into pots, window boxes or directly into flower beds.