Viola 'Helen Mount'

Viola 'Helen Mount' is a cultivar of (and very similar to) the traditional, wild 'Johnny Jump Up'. The delightful, compact  plants are short lived perennials which will readily self seed and pop up unexpectedly on any small patch of bare earth. Being tolerant of shade, they often appear in spring around emerging summer-flowering perennials and in rockery crevices. The plentiful, dainty flowers have 'whiskered' faces in many colour combinations of lavender, purple, yellow and white and, with regular dead heading, will happily bloom from spring to early autumn. Scented and edible. (6ins).

Sowing Instructions

Sow in February or March for summer flowering or from June to August to flower the following spring. Sow 1.5mm deep in trays of moist seed compost. Cover to exclude light and keep below 65 degrees as light and high temperatures can hinder germination. Transplant into 3in pots when seedlings are large enough to handle and keep in cooler conditions. Gradually harden off before planting out. Summer sowings can be planted out in September or overwintered in a cold frame before planting out in spring. Can be sown in spring in flowering position.