AMONG the most ardent Edwardian gardeners there were a significant number who had a healthy obsession with the viola, writes TOM ATTWOOD.

They are a broad genus of plants, that is to say they are pretty varied and you most commonly come across the types that are grown for seasonal planting either in the winter or those designed for summer.

I’m a fan of all types. On the nursery we grow woodland viola such as viola sororia; they are simple, humble flowers that by themselves would run the risk of becoming lost in the surrounding foliage but they counter this by producing masses of flowers.

The simple nature of their flowers means they are good for insects (unlike the overly bred types that are all about the visual theatrics); they also have the major advantage that they reliably come back every season and can be divided into clumps and spread around the garden where shade is present or it’s a north facing border.

However, it is still far too early for these to be flowering and this is where the late winter, early spring bedding violas are indispensable. They aren’t particularly good for insects but don’t let that put you off.

I worked in a garden some time ago where late winter bedding violas were integral to the spring display of tulips where they had been planted in pots and containers.

Around the emerging tulip shoots we’d carefully plant violas, the type that are widely available now. Once the tulips were flowering this beautiful crescendo of colour would build and providing you feed the viola plants with tomato food they can keep going well into summer.

We’re going to be planting up our numerous pots of tulips this week with violas. All types, including the bedding viola, are incredibly resilient so don’t let cold spells of weather deter you, they have the ability to freeze completely (and repeatedly) pick themselves up in all their joyful finery and fill the coming weeks with flower filled radiance.

Next week: what to do with overwintered trays of seedlings