Pansies: How To Grow, Reimagine, and Create Beauty with Pansies and Violas

Flower farmer Estrada’s lifelong love of pansies motivated her to create this work. She defines the difference between pansies and violas, explores their popularity during the Victorian Era, and shares how the garden pansy, as readers know it, came to be. Estrada also addresses the endless debate on whether to grow pansies in sun or full shade (she is partial to sun) and presents a calendar/timeline for planting, sowing, and propagating from cuttings. The book’s great layout, straightforward prose, and easy-to-follow charts for each variety are accompanied by gorgeous photographs. There is a special section on black pansies, which are rarely covered in other works. The profile for each pansy variety makes it easy to differentiate between them, and each offers historical notes or growing tips. Gardeners seeking to create aromatic gardens will appreciate the inclusion of each variety’s fragrance level. In addition to tips on floral arrangements and apothecary uses for pansies, there is a resource list for seeds and supplies.