Most violas are short-lived perennials with small flowers in a wide range of colors. They thrive in full sun to part shade.
Start viola seeds indoors 8 weeks before the last frost date. Barely cover the seeds with soil. Spacing 4". Hardy in zones 5-9.
Viola tricolor 'Helen Mount' has small flowers that bloom from spring to fall in shades of purple, lavender and yellow. It makes a nice groundcover , spreading and self-sowing around larger plants in the garden. It attracts butterflies .
Common names include Wild Pansy, Johnny Jump-Up, and Heartsease. Also known as Viola cornuta 'Helen Mount'. Hardy in zones 4-9.
Viola 'Chantreyland' is a lovely selection with soft apricot-orange flowers. The flowers are relatively large for a viola.
Violas are more free-flowering than panises, which makes up for the blooms being smaller. They are perfect for containers where the small blooms can be admired at close range. Hardy in zones 5-9.
Admiration is my favorite large-flowered viola. The flowers are larger than Bowles Black and King Henry, but smaller than pansies.
I like to use Viola 'Admiration' as a filler in large pots or small garden areas. It looks great with everything, and it self sows nicely in my zone 5b garden. Hardy in zones 5-9.
Viola 'Bowles Black' is a small plant with masses of purple-black flowers. Place it near the edge of a path or in containers where you can enjoy the adorable little flowers up close.
Viola 'Bowles Black' self-sows nicely in the garden, filling in the cracks between larger plants. It's also suitable for the rock garden. Hardy in zones 5-9.
Arkwright Ruby is a large-flowered viola with dark wine-red flowers. It looks especially good in warm color schemes.
One of my favorite things about Viola cornuta is that the mild-flavored, edible flowers can be used to decorate salads and cakes. They don't have the bitterness of pansies (Viola x wittrockiana). Hardy in zones 5-9.
Viola corsica is a perennial pansy with blue-purple flowers that have a light fragrance. It's a wonderful plant for the rock garden , and it thrives in containers. It can spread up to 12" wide, making it a good groundcover for a small area.
Viola corsica 'Little Gem' was a Plant Select winner in 2003. It has a long bloom season from late spring through summer. Hardy in zones 4-9.