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“Cool and Bright” are the key words for Pansies. Able to be planted outside around April 15, they keep going until the summer heat poops them out a little. Just trim the top half off and they will be back for you to enjoy all fall. Six packs provide the most economy, while 6 inch pots are better for those of us who are patience challenged. Pansies like sunny moist conditions. They bloom best when there is ample water, but do not tolerate wet feet. They can also be heavy feeders, so be sure to use an Osmocote type fertilizer at time of planting. Pansies can be dead-headed to promote more blooms for a longer period of time. But only do this if you have extra time and feel like it, they will give back even if you don’t give. Few pests bother pansies. An occasional aphid may cause you to worry, but once they are outside in the garden the rain helps to keep them in check.
Pretty, fun, and
interesting, Pansies have enthralled people with their faces, whiskers, their
determination to bloom in many conditions. I have included a few fun links to
pansies below.
A Pansy Slideshow set to music My Grandmother's Pansy Story by Nana Porcupine Flowers Personified - The Story of the Pansy
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A
Victorian flower, pansies are the flowers of love. Legend has it that pansies
could transfer the thoughts of sweethearts without spoken words. The word
"pansy" is reported to be derived from the French, "pensee," which translates as
"thought." When near pansies, it was believed that one could hear their lover's
thoughts. They were a popular ingredient in "love potions", and have been
written about by Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and many others.