Graham Porter's Gardening: Valentine violets
THE Language of Flowers listings suggest words such as ‘faithfulness and modesty’ and, specifically for blue violets, they mean ‘I’ll always be true’.
For white violets it suggests ‘let’s take a chance on happiness’. Well, if all these are true, I am going to find a bunch of violets for my wife for tomorrow.
Actually, since the late 1940s that has been nearly impossible, but, had I lived in the 19th century or the first half of the 20th century it would have been very easy.
The trade in growing and selling bunches of Viola odorata flowers was huge with special trains being put on to take the flowers from Devon and Cornwall to Covent Garden Market in London.
Commonly known as the Sweet Violet, Viola odorata was one of the first plants to be grown commercially in Athens in around 400BC and it has been grown for its scent, its medicinal qualities and its cut flowers ever since. Of course there are hundreds of other species and thousands of named cultivars to choose from in the world of Violas, including the ubiquitous Pansy, Viola x wittrockiana, a complex hybrid between several species, hence its huge variations in habit and flower colour.
Although the trade in sweet violet flowers was popular in winter and spring, the vast range of species allows us to enjoy Violas right through until early autumn, with winter pansies then filling the gap over winter until the spring Violets begin again.
So, which Violas are worthy of a space in our gardens?
Although our common pansies are often spectacular in flower, they do need replacing annually and are prone to slug, snail and aphid attack.
Viola cornuta, with its lilac-blue lightly scented flowers from April to July and its spreading but not invasive habit, make it a strong contender.
Viola labradorica ‘Purpurea’, with its purple foliage and pale purple flowers makes a delightful casual invader in the garden and works superbly well as a contrast with Milium effusum ‘Aureum’, Bowles Golden Grass. Viola tricolor, the Heartsease, has, as the name suggests, a three coloured flower. It can self-seed rather readily in some soils but is easily removed.
There are a number of excellent named hybrids to search out, including Viola ‘Freckles’, with it white and purple freckled flowers.
Viola ‘Jackanapes’ has deep violet-purple upper petals and golden yellow lower ones, and can provide months of colour in spring and early summer – it can get a little scruffy as many of these perennials can, but, if you take cuttings regularly, the older plants can be replaced every three to four years.
Whichever ones you choose for your garden, or your loved one, remember what they stand for – faithfulness and modesty – two traits that seem to be sadly lacking in our modern society.
Happy Valentines Day.
If you want to search out some new Violets for your garden, there are two specialist growers to try.
Devon Violet Nursery, Honiton, Devon, 01404 813701, www.sweetviolets.co.uk and Grove Nurseries, Bridport, Dorset, 01308 422654, www.grovenurseries.co.uk which holds some of the National Collection of Viola odorata and Parma violets.
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