Viola suavis Parme de Toulouse

Viola suavis Parme de Toulouse is a truly adorable variety of violet, distinguished from the wild species Viola suavis with its lilac colour and its small, double, fragrant flowers. This perennial with creeping rhizomes will eventually form large decorative carpets in winter, of a beautiful dark green colour, flowering quite early at the end of winter or early spring. In the garden, it easily establishes itself in shaded areas, even occasionally dry soils, and forms carpets where many perennials struggle to grow. It is also a good plant for flowering containers.

Viola suavis (synonym Viola alba subsp sepincola) is the parma violet, not to be confused with the Viola odorata or sweet violet.  This small perennial of the Violaceae family is native to southern Europe, except Greece and southern Italy. 

Viola suavis Parme de Toulouse differs Viola suavis with its larger double flowers, delicately touched with white in its mauve colour. This groundcover perennial forms rounded tufts of heart-shaped leaves that spread thanks to short almost woody underground stolons. The foliage, more or less evergreen in winter, may disappear in summer during drought. From March-April to August, the floral stems emerge directly from the stump. The flowering is at its peak in March and may recur in August if the climatic conditions allow it. The numerous small frilly flowers in a lilac colour release a delicious scent. The flower of Viola suavis Parme de Toulouse is sometimes used in pastries; the leaves are also aromatic and edible.

Viola suavis Parme de Toulouse will thrive in a semi-shaded positions, in a rather humus-rich, light soil, but it is an undemanding plant that can adapt to any good, well-drained garden soil, where it wanders at will and easily hybridises with other violets. It can be used everywhere: at the base of trees, in border beds or rockeries with other violets and wild pansies, primroses, and resistant small ferns. In drier soil, it can accompany Anemone blanda, Cyclamen Coum or hepatica. It can also be grown in pots or containers placed on the windowsill (for the fragrance), or on the patio, without forgetting to water. In the language of flowers, it has now become a symbol of modesty or a secret love.

Violets and pansies belong to the genus Viola. How to differentiate a violet from a pansy? By the arrangement of their petals: the first has two upright petals and three petals facing downwards, the second has four upright petals, and the fifth, larger than the others, lowers its head. Violets are almost all native to temperate regions of the globe. The vast majority of them are perennial, but hybrids with large flowers are sold and used as annual plants.