Viola’s – more commonly known as Johnny Jump ups! Are like miniature pansies, but are self seeding and will appear in your beds next year! They make a great addition to any garden and can be planted out early, as they have a high tolerance to frost. Available in an assortment of colours, they grow to a height of 6”. Use in pots, containers, beds and borders. A good source of food for bumblebees & honey bees. They have a good drought tolerance although they perform better with regular watering. They have moderate deer resistance and salt tolerance.
Landscape Attributes
Viola Penny Lane is an herbaceous annual with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.
- This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season’s flowers. Deer don’t particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favour of tastier treats.
Viola is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
- Hanging Baskets
Planting & Growing
Viola will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity extending to 8 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 6 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 5 inches apart. Although it’s not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat. This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn’t be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments.
Viola is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a ‘filler’ in the ‘spiller-thriller-filler’ container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
Photo courtesy of Jolly Farmer New Brunswick
