Pansies are charming, adaptable, flowering plants that are native to the alpine meadows and rocky ledges of Europe. Their flowers come in a wide range of sizes, colors, and color combinations. Many pansies have solid colors that are best if they are to be seen from a distant, while many others have faces that make them more interesting up close. The word pansy can be traced back to the French word pensee, meaning "thought" or "remembrance." When a bouquet of pansies are given to you it means, "I'm thinking of you." Although Shakespeare often wrote of the romantic symbolism of the pansy, it wasn't until the inquisitive Lord Gambier and his gardener began breeding pansies in the early 1800's that they achieved their modern popularity. The pansy is a perennial or biennial, however we are only able to grow it in South Georgia as a winter annual because it will not survive the heat of summer. No winter garden should be considered complete without this wonderful flower.
Pansies are exceptional flowering plants, but don't limit yourself to just using them for winter color. There are a number of flowering and ornamental plants that will tolerate our mild climate and brighten up the winter and holiday season. Whether you are planning to use these great plants to accent your landscape, or plant in a container. There are a lot of plants to choose from at Seasons Garden Center.
The Viola is a cousin to the pansy that many gardeners consider even a better addition to your garden. The flowers are smaller and more numerous than the pansy, but this can be advantage because they will not flop over as bad following a rain. They are more tolerant to our climate by being more heat, cold, and drought resistant. The viola comes in a rainbow of colors that will compliment any landscape or container.
Ornamental cabbage and kale are popular additions to your winter garden. These plants are not grown for their flowers, but for the colorful, textured leaves. Not only can cabbage and kale handle our cold weather, but the colder it gets the more color the leaves will show. These plants are in the same family as collards, broccoli, and cauliflower, so they are edible as well as decorative. They make a good garnish or colorful addition to a salad. Another good companion plant to pansies and violas is the bold color leaves of 'Giant Red' mustard.
When you need some height in your cool season annual beds, the snapdragon comes to the rescue. Flowering on the ends of upright branches, these bright colored flowers are high enough to be seen over other annuals. Snapdragons come in many colors and heights from 10 inches up to 4 feet.
