Johnny Jump-Up Viola Cornuta

You would think it was spring already in Southeast Texas with temperature today heading to 78 degrees. I know we will surely have some very chilly days before March comes along, but I am so excited to see some signs of color and sprouts all about the garden.

Johnny Jump-ups are one of my favorite wild flowers. They have such a beautiful deep purple and yellow bloom. I do have a few that naturalized as a solid purple and they are just as lovely.

The seeds are best sown in the fall for spring blooms. I've had mine for several years and in mild winters like this one I can go out and dig them up and move them into other areas where I will appreciate them.

They are so lovely during Easter mixed among the early blooming bulbs of the Bearded Iris. This year I'm mixing them with the heirloom purple and red cabbages.

The entire plant is edible and makes quite a display atop a lovely spring time salad. I love the way flowers look on salad. Usually at this time I can add Borage blooms as well for a lovely periwinkle blue.I hope to share a salad or two with a few of my favorite garden friends again this year.

As spring turns to summer here, the Johnny Jump-Ups will soon fade away as the temperatures rise. 

It is a wonderful annual and terrific about reseeding itself and each year you will find more and more.

Give them a tid bit of partial shade by growing them under other taller vegetables and plants in the garden and they will last a bit longer. Keep them in a rich and loose composted soil and you will find them spreading out into a luscious ground cover. 

Nothing says spring is here more than the likes of tiny Violas and naturally Colored Easter Eggs.

Happy Gardening!!

Pammy