The word pansy comes from the French
pensee, meaning
thought. Pansies and violas have been garden favorites for centuries and have acquired a
long list of common names such as call-me-to-you, ladies-delight,
three-faces-under-a-hood, among others.
Pansies and violas are cousins with a common ancestor:
johnny-jump-ups (Viola tricolor). They are treated here as annuals since they will bloom
the first spring from early-sown seed.
Pansies do best in cool weather and should be fall
sown in hot summer areas. In northern areas they can be started indoors in a cool place in
February or March for bloom later in the spring. Smaller-flowered violas are less fussy
about the climate and can be planted almost any time, to bloom 2 ½ to 3 months later.
Fertilize regularly and pick for sweet bouquets. They are among the easiest flowers to
grow and have an indescribably delicious fragrance, especially when grown
en masse.
