I have a long low planter, last autumn when I cleared out the dead
summer flowers, the garden centres seemed to be flogging winter
flowering pansies, so I bought a few, and they the trick stopping the
planter looking bare over winter, didn't grow much.

But then in spring they *really* started to grow, mounding-up in the
planter and tumbling over the edge, with plenty of flowers, looked very
nice ... then in the last week they've completely died off and
shrivelled away ... have the seasons confused them, should they have
flowered vigorously over winter and died earlier?

On 05/07/2015 13:58, Andy Burns wrote:
I have a long low planter, last autumn when I cleared out the dead
summer flowers, the garden centres seemed to be flogging winter
flowering pansies, so I bought a few, and they the trick stopping the
planter looking bare over winter, didn't grow much.

But then in spring they *really* started to grow, mounding-up in the
planter and tumbling over the edge, with plenty of flowers, looked very
nice ... then in the last week they've completely died off and
shrivelled away ... have the seasons confused them, should they have
flowered vigorously over winter and died earlier?


They do only grow slowly over winter. When they do grow away in spring,
they're splendid as you have found. They are deep-rooted so, by spring,
you are benefitting from your early planting. I've had some magnifient
scented violas flowering away since spring. I may even save some seed,
though it may not come true, of course.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 05/07/2015 14:33, Spider wrote:
On 05/07/2015 13:58, Andy Burns wrote:
I have a long low planter, last autumn when I cleared out the dead
summer flowers, the garden centres seemed to be flogging winter
flowering pansies, so I bought a few, and they the trick stopping the
planter looking bare over winter, didn't grow much.

But then in spring they *really* started to grow, mounding-up in the
planter and tumbling over the edge, with plenty of flowers, looked very
nice ... then in the last week they've completely died off and
shrivelled away ... have the seasons confused them, should they have
flowered vigorously over winter and died earlier?


They do only grow slowly over winter. When they do grow away in spring,
they're splendid as you have found. They are deep-rooted so, by spring,
you are benefitting from your early planting. I've had some magnifient
scented violas flowering away since spring. I may even save some seed,
though it may not come true, of course.

They seem to still be available as quite small bedding plants, which I
guess would flower in September? I think you could almost have them year
round if you got your timing right