Those Violas are so pretty, I just love that striking purple violet color. Man I hope my violas come up this year. But I know just were to put in some new ones so I will get them as soon as they are available at the nurseries.

Those peach trumpet daffs are really beautiful too.

Those peach daffs look great! I need to get some like that for my peach garden! I have a bit more space, since I ended up hauling out the angels trumpets (no show on them in the last two years means out ya go!!).
We seem to be at the same state of late winter/spring as you are. Daffs/crocus/hyacinths are all up and flowering.
I have the same purple violas mixed with a few orange. The orange were very hard to find this year, but they are also going great guns.

girlgroupgirl,

I suspect we have climates that are closely related. Yesterday, I realized the azaleas were all budded out, and the verbena is beginning to bloom. And a frost is forecast for tonight...it is only an overnight event, but I will protect the lilac and the clematis tender growth nonetheless.

Hopefully, this time the neighbors dog will remain in his fence and not "herd" the towels I put over the clematis.

kay

I had the most pretty orange violas last spring too. Have no idea if they will come up this year but I hope so. I loved the color.

What started me on the viola craze were there two nice planted viola bowls planters I got at Home Depot early last spring. They had the loveliest scent.

Well, what started my viola search were photos on this forum!
kay

I adore violas! I wish the bugs (or whatever) would stop eating mine in the back!

I use them in my window boxes. These are 'Yellow blotch'. They've been going all winter and match the February Gold daffodils. Taken 27th February.

{{gwi:197589}}

Flora,
That window box is very cheerful. For some reason, I just started planting daffodils a couple years ago. Well I had some Mount Hoods before that, but not very many.

I love the pansies too. I plant pansies every year. They bloom for so long, they give a lot of "bang for your buck".
kay

Those violas are such a pretty purple! We have them show up, in different areas, all through the garden. My mom has them growing almost wild, at her place, so any plants she shares with me, usually end up with a few violas coming along. They bloom most of the summer, especially in the shade, and they're so cheerful! :)

beautiful windowbox!!

I think all my violas died over the winter even though they were supposed to come back. I will get some more but not that many and only plant them in afew spots since they are only going to last one year. Too bad really, they add so much color. Especially in early spring.

Rita,
Here the pansies and violas are planted in the fall and bloom all winter. I have really enjoyed them.
kay

It's so early here that I haven't been to a nursery yet but one of the first things I intend to get are at least afew violas for spring color. I am very dissapointed that they died over the winter.

Newyorkrita that is unusual that Violas would not come back. They generally drop so much seed around that they will be found all over the garden areas. Is it possible that you planted a hybrid variety that doesn't reseed well or that it is just a bit early yet in your climate? They always did very well for me in northern Minnesota and do well in Alaska too. I know that some of the newer hybrids are not quite as realiable as the old standby's (pansies too!). Violas are my favorite spring flower often popping up blooming when there is still patches of snow on the ground.

I did plant hybrid varieties but it could be too early. Its just that violas being cool weather bloomers I would expect them to be up and growing already. Not so. I have one plant that I can deffinately see and there is no doubt that it is and then nothing from all the others. And I planted them all over the place :-((

They might just be not quite ready then. I had some pots that had been planted with violas in them on my deck all winter (Helen Mount) and noticed in February when I was cleaning out the floral debris there was tiny little seedlings in the bottom of the pot. I felt bad because they were certainly not going to survive after I exposed them to the weather. I tend to not do cleanup in the gardens until spring, except for things like iris and peonies that are suseptible to botyris blight. I have found that the little bit of protection offered by garden debris overwintered can help a lot of marginally hardy plants survive. It is funny, I can't even say the name Viola without grinning-gotta love the cheeky little faces on them.

I love violas and pansies, I buy plants, and put out seed every year. I seldom if ever have volunteers! And I have been doing this for years, I have tried different varieties too. I guess I am just viola challenged! LOL

In fact I just came across 3 packages of pansy seed, 3 packages of johnny jump up seed, and a package of victorian pansy seed. I guess I will put out some seed in jugs tomorrow and see if I can get them to grow. I know I should have done it sooner, but work keeps interrupting all my plans!

Jenny P