VIOLA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



VIOLA. 



86 1 



Louise, Victoria Regina, Wellsiana, and 

 the perpetual blooming Violet well 

 known in France as La Violette des Quatre 

 Saisons. It differs slightly from the 

 Sweet Violet, but is valuable for flowering 

 long and continuously in autumn, winter, 

 and spring. It is the variety used by the 

 cultivators round Paris. The double white, 

 or, as it becomes in the open air, the rosy- 

 white Belle de Chatenay, has a robust 

 habit. Though not so pure as the old 

 double white kind, it blooms more freely, 



when grown in frames, or in beds in the 

 open, where the thick growth keeps the 

 flowers well up from the soil. Blandyana, 

 another double, is a rather free bloomer 

 with dark flowers. 



V. pedata (Bird's -foot Violet\T}\z 

 most beautiful of the American Violets, 

 with handsome flowers I in. across, pale 

 or deep lilac, purple or blue, the two 

 upper petals being sometimes velvety and 

 deep violet like the petals of a Pansy. 

 The variety bicolor is prettier than the 



Viola pedata (Bird's-foot Violet). 



and is not so loose in its growth. The 

 Neapolitan kind, V. o. pallida plena, will 

 doubtless ever be a favourite, in spite of 

 other and newer kinds, but it needs a 

 frame in severe weather. Marie Louise 

 is a fine kind, and is a great advance upon 

 the Neapolitan kind ; its flowers are 

 larger, rather deeper, and more freely 

 produced. The old double blue kind has 

 very full and neat flowers, but its stems 

 are short. It is, however, very beautiful 



type ; its flowers larger, and the petals are 

 arranged flat like those of a Pansy, the 

 two upper ones rich velvety purple, and 

 the three lower delicate blush. V. pedata 

 is free in growth in a light rich soil in 

 partial shade, but the variety bicolor 

 succeeds only in certain localities, and is 

 rare even in its native soil. It is best 

 adapted for the choice rock-garden, but 

 may also be grown in borders where the 

 soil is peaty, sandy, and moist. 



