The potted purple pansies have brightened our decks and our vase arrangements this winter, and I will miss them when they are gone. Pansies come in many colors and varieties. I mainly chose the purple Viola x Wittrockiana and Viola Tricolor (aka Johnny Jump-Up) this year, and think their deep velvety shimmer is just stunning. My stepmother used to keep a couple blooms in a tiny vase on her kitchen window sill and I always thought it made such a precious sight. I commented once that I could always count on seeing pansies in her window during certain months and she told me "I love pansies. They have such happy faces." That stuck with me, and I agree that they do indeed have happy faces! I now have several small vases for my own indoor pansy enjoyment.
Pansies are annual; they do well from the beginning of October through to the end of May, but I will compost them in April to make room for summer color. I like to plant them as soon as they go on sale so they will grow and build strength before the cold temperatures come. The containers are prettiest when you dead-head them regularly, but otherwise they are very low maintenance. The rewards certainly outweigh the responsibilities.
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