Viola Cool Wave Raspberry - Medium-flowered Pansy

Viola Cool Wave Raspberry, the latest addition to the Cool Wave® series, is one of the few hybrid pansies with a trailing habit and large flowers, making them sensational plants for hanging baskets. It is vigorous and can form a carpet up to 75 cm (29.5 in) in diameter, bearing numerous bicoloured and changing flowers, combining raspberry red, purple, and white. They will be more white-marked in summer and autumn. Particularly hardy, this variety is also the first to bloom in early spring and continues until the start of summer. It is easy to grow in humus-bearing and moist soil, in a sunny or semi-shaded location.

Garden pansies, sometimes called giant Swiss pansies, are actually hybrids grouped under Viola x wittrockiana. They belong to the viola family and are usually grown as annuals or biennials, although they are theoretically short-lived perennials. The 'Cool Wave Raspberry' variety is a trailing, spreading plant that quickly forms large clumps reaching a height of 30 cm (11.8 in) and a width of 60 to 75 cm (23.6 to 29.5 in). It blooms from late winter to the end of spring, or from late spring to the end of summer. Its flowers are large and velvety, with a purplish-red colour illuminated by a tiny yellow-orange centre. Depending on the temperature, the centre of the flower may be more or less spotted with white or purple on the lower petal, also adorned with discreet almost black whiskers. It is topped by 2 predominantly purplish-red petals. The medium green leaves are elliptical and scalloped.

If you love them in the garden, you will appreciate them the most in containers. You can associate them, with primroses, wallflowers, grape hyacinths, daisies... and even with grasses like Japanese sedge for a pleasing effect in a contemporary spirit. Pair them with coral bells and tulips. The blue-green colour of glaucous fescues also highlights them well. Their colours will blend well with mauve, pink, and blue.

Pansy petals are edible, their colours will bring a touch of originality to your salads and pastries. For eating, grow them organically, as you would your vegetables.

Note: Please be aware that our plug plants are professional products reserved for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, transplant them as soon as possible, into pots, containers, or directly in the ground.