Planted up the blue pots

That looks really nice Shirley 😃

Thanks Julia, and Julia!! Very low maintenance as just deadheading the Violas needs to be done.

I agree, it looks stunning,Shirley.. I love that shade of Blue too.I'm going to get my Viola's shortly, once I've emptied a couple of pots,but it could be a while ,as everything is still growing well at the moment ,and warm days are forecast for the next two,at least :o) x

Thanks Sandra, this morning we saw the driest, droopiest Violas in a supermarket. They never get watered and come in on huge trollies with no drip trays. To me it seems a complete waste . . . :o(

Ooh, I want that pot, Shirley! Seriously, the waste in supermaket plants is absolutely shocking and must add to the overall cost we are charged for buying them. I am also surprised at the indifference about energy wasted in producing and transporting them if a large percentage end up being discarded. A bugbear of mine...

Anget, there are two of these pots, one either side of the front door. They have had an Agave in each for about seven years and I fancied a change.

One supermarket locally has their plant trollies outside, so making it easy to water them, but others are indoors and impossible to water. A bugbear of mine too . . . :o(

A lovely looking pot, Shirley! I got some Violas on Monday, now I just need to empty the pots of Geraniums & Petunias!

Wonderful coloured pot. Lots of colour in it too. I've just emptied my pots. Looking for some more plants for them today. We have a local florist that sells very good quality plants. If I don't see what I want I shall visit my small reliable local nursery. A local supermarket's selection had not been cared for when I looked there a couple of days ago.

Well done David - the Violas will look so pretty.

Thanks Linda, my local florist is not cheap, yet the greengrocers always seem to have plants at good prices! I hope you find what you are looking for . . . :o)

I was very happy with them this spring, Shirley. They did so much better than the Pansies I'd been growing every year. Most of my Pansies used to die off before they reached their main flowering period. But the Violas I planted out last October flowered right the way through to June! I posted many photos of them on here as well! Let's hope next year is a repeat of this year!

I gave up buying Pansies some while ago ... Violas are my preferred pot plants now.

The problem with Violas is that you need so many more plants than Pansies. I think that is what put me off them in previous years. Being much smaller flowers means that they are not very good for the 3 white troughs on the balcony floor. They are fantastic for eye level plants on the top of the railings & alright for the middle bar of the railings.

But that won't be a problem this year as at the end of October I'm getting rid of them. They have done a fantastic job for the past 20 years but now they are breaking up & the twice yearly change in bedding plants is also too much for me now. I shall only have pots in the future.

I’m loving the result, Shirley! A really great effect all planted up! The violas look so pretty and compliment the pot perfectly!

That's understandable David . . . anything for an easier life . . . :o)

Thankyou Kate, it's very low maintenance as I only need to remove the faded Viola blooms and water the pot. Simples!

What a beautiful pot and I am going to follow suit and buy violas for mine this year. I too was disappointed with winter pansies last year.

I've now planted up my Violas in the pots on the balcony railing & underplanted them with the Alliums from last year. I've also planted up the 3 small troughs on the middle rail & underplanted them with mini-Daffs mixed.

I've still got some Violas I potted up into small pots & they will go into bigger pots for the winter on the balcony floor. But I'll not be putting any in the 3 white troughs on the balcony floor as I'm getting rid of them this year.

Like you, Homebird, I've become disappointed with the Pansies - I grew them for most of the 20 years I've been gardening on this balcony but last year I didn't get any nor this year either.

Hb, I was gifted two of these lovely blue pots some years ago and have finally removed the Agaves after about seven years! I am happy with the planting now, wasn't too sure at first. It seems Violas are becoming more popular than Pansies these days.

David, in the RHS magazine 'The Garden' this month there is an interesting article on Pansies and Violas. It says there has been a drive for cascading plants for baskets or ground cover, while those with viola genes are more tolerant of warmth and more floriferous in general.

Thanks, Shirley, that's interesting! I've grow Pansies in hanging baskets & one year I got a really fantastic display that I was never able to repeat! I haven't had much success with Pansies for years but last year the Violas performed admirably! I'm hoping for a repetition this year!