Pansies questions and what's your winter delight plan?

I'd like to have some winter interest in the front bed where the Hydrangeas will be bare and the Dahlias sleeping in the garage. I'm tempted to buy these Pansies and put them in the gaps left by the Dahlias and a bit here and there, possibly also in a large container where tulips can grow through them.

I have never (seriously) grown pansies before, are they worth it? Is it ok for me to lift them out in early summer when Dahlias go back in, and grow in containers until the frosts?

I'm not really sure about the seasonal management side of things If it's a lot of waffle for poorly greenish blobs I might save my pennies and buy some wine instead.

I have a doorstep winter delight container with Hellebores and variegated Vica Minor and it's really quite nice. Something like that, but not permanent, would work in the border I think.

What kind of winter interest planting do you have?

 

Hi @Selleri I have just bought some violas this week ready for winter - I get them from Morrisons as they are decent sized plants - their pansies are I think £3 for 20 plants. I have found that some of them may survive a second season, but they often get too scraggy, so I think of them mainly as winter bedding. I'm going to pot up the violas (blue/white shades) with possibly some white winter heathers or white polyanthus. But I find I get the timing wrong - if I buy bulbs to go with them eg dwarf white narcissus or crocus, they will probably flower at different times.

 

I'm still working on getting my garden straight after retrieving it from nature. I've got five large pines at the top end of the garden and started a little woodland type area amongst them last year. I'm planting spring and winter plants and bulbs. So far there are wild primroses, snowdrops, crocus and a few dwarf iris reticulata. This coming autumn I'll add winter flowering cyclamen, dwarf daffodils and anemones.

 

I love the scent of wild primroses on an early dewy spring morning.
I put violas in every year and in the hanging basket next to the back door. They always give a cheerful and colourful welcome through the winter months

 

@Jymi riddler I didn't know they had a perfume, it's never occurred to me to stick my nose amongst them and have a good sniff. I'll have to do something about that next Spring!

 

As the years have taken their toll my snitcher can only just pick up the scent of wild primrose.
It's enhanced on cool spring mornings with a dew.
When i was young it came across much stronger, and I've never known a better scent.
All the varied colourful bred primulas have no scent that i can detect.. Only the wild original.

 

I only grow Pansies from March to late June, when I plant my summer bedding. I don't think they are worth saving. I am going to grow violas next year, I think they will flower all summer - is this correct?

 

Double post.. @ARMANDII please remove.

 

I grow violas from Autumn to spring because they are fully winter hardy and give a very cheerful display through the dark months.
I notice that there are summer varieties available but i won't plant those because there are so many other border flowers available (i plant impatiens and begonias in tubs and hanging baskets).. lots of choice in the summer and whatever floats the individuals boat

 

Thanks, very inspiring! I bought 66 maxi plugs so hopefully will have at least some delightful spots over the winter. Anything is better than bare soil. I'll see how it goes and if they are worth lifting and growing in the spring will do that.

I'm (nearly) looking forward to winter now

 

Well done Selleri, you will have a nice winter display no doubt!

 

Oh yes, wild primrose scent! And it's different to cowslips (though they have a lovely perfume too).