Viola odorata

sweet violet

• Position: full sun or partial shade
• Soil: fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: average to fast-growing
• Flowering period: February to March
• Flower colour: violet-blue
• Other features: sweetly scented cut-flowers
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Sweetly scented, violet-blue, edible flowers from February to March and heart-shaped, bright green leaves. Sweet violets are perfect for naturalising in a shady woodland garden or shrub border in moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil. Much loved by Victorian dandies, the exquisitely scented blooms make delightful cut-flower posies, are excellent when chrystallised, add an exotic-looking touch to the salad bowl and can be used to adorn cakes, desserts and iced drinks.
  
  
• Garden care: Early sowings can be done in a cold frame, into trays of good seed compost and gradually hardened off before planting out. Alternatively sow directly into a well-prepared seed bed. Gently thin the seedlings out to 15cm apart when they are large enough to handle.
  
  
• Sow: March - May or August - September
  
  
• Flowering: May - October
  
  
• Approximate quantity: 75 seeds.