Growing, Sowing and Arranging Flowers by Jane Wrigglesworth
Pansies are terrific for brightening up dull winters. Plant seedlings in small pots to display indoors or pick flowers to make small posies.
You’ll find plenty of seedlings or potted colour in garden centres now. Plant in compost-enriched soil in a sunny spot. You can sow seeds too, but sow in trays for transplanting when big enough.
Deadhead plants regularly to keep them producing more blooms and feed once a fortnight with a balanced liquid fertiliser.
The humble pansy should never be overlooked for colour and quiet elegance in the garden. And although short-stemmed, they make excellent cut flowers for small posies or shorter stemmed bouquets. You can see what we mean with this gorgeous bouquet (top photo) with golden yellow pansies and purple columbine (aka granny’s bonnets) that features over at Martha Stewart. Or display your pansies in small vases or containers, even a salt cellar.
Buy seedlings from garden centres to plant straight out in the garden, or sow seeds in trays for transplanting later. These cool-season plants come in many colours and grow in sun or light shade. Soil should be moist but free-draining with plenty of compost dug in. Deadhead the flowers regularly and your plants will continue to flower for several weeks.
If you want colour in your garden come winter, then plant pansies now. These colourful blooms show their cheerful faces even on the dullest of days. They may have short stems, but the flowers can still be picked for indoors. Or plant in small containers and bring the whole container inside as a centrepiece when entertaining. Sow seeds in trays or plant seedlings from your garden centre.
Last year a new black petunia took the gardening world by storm, which sparked an interest in other black blooms, including the humble pansy. You can see why. Don’t these black pansies look striking planted on their own? Imagine a few of these positioned around your garden. You can buy seeds for black pansies at Kings Seeds and sometimes you’ll find seedlings at garden centres.
This photo features over at Spriggs Florist.
Sow yourself a tray of pansies or violas, then, once they’re big enough, plant them up into a living wreath. Like this pretty wreath from Hostess with the Mostess. It’s not quite as low maintenance as a living wreath that uses succulents (you need to deadhead this one), but it makes a gorgeous display for indoors or out. Click on over to Hostess with the Mostess for step-by-step instructions.
This would take all of two minutes to arrange – one minute 45 seconds to go outside to pick the pansies and 15 seconds to plonk them in a vase. The rustic enamel jug suits the old-fashioned look of pansies perfectly, or you could use an old silver teapot or sugar bowl for a similar effect. Once again, primulas would look good here too, as would violets and snowdrops and snowflakes. Lovely.
