Did you know that the U.K.’s largest pansy and viola trial garden is in Essex, and you everyone can visit it! Meadowcroft Gardeb Centre have long been synonymous with this colourful winter garden plant, and each year they host a large trial of some of the newest varieties, as well as comparing many tried and tested types.

Not only is it a colour festival, but you can learn a lot, and compare varieties for yourself. You can’t resist but fill a basket (or trolley) with some of these colourful gems… and, right here, you’ll see my pick of the bunch!

All Viola are sown from seed on 27 September 2021, and Pansies on 11 October.

The display is from Saturday 12 March to Sunday 20 March – and you can find out more here.

Pansy Freefall XL Fire

A stretchy stretchy Pansy, which covers the ground quickly, and works well in baskets and window boxes. The colour combos vary a bit, but it’s a pleasure, especially when they’re this gorgeous!

Pansy varieties 2022

Pansy Cats Series

I love these, they are refreshing different, without any blotch, but plenty of sexy stripes. Huge flowers that stand up to all weathers too!

Pansy varieties 2022

Pansy Inspire Red White Blotch

These need better names, don’t they? How about ‘Cranberry Cream’? A classic colour combo, which is certainly an eye-catcher.

Pansy varieties 2022

Pansy Inspire Purple and Orange

Don’t @ me regarding the name again… but it’s a classy combos first seen in the variety ‘Joker’. Inspire is a strong series, with flowering performance and cold weather tolerance.

Pansy varieties 2022

Pansy Matrix Morpheus

Matrix are some of the best branching types in the market, and ‘Morpheus’ is a leading colour.

Pansy varieties 2022

Viola Endurio Blue Face

Bred for rockeries and ground cover, you may get blooms smaller than a Pansy, but you get twice as many. Just check out the branching on these fab plants!

Pansy varieties 2022

Viola Floral Power Raspberry

Another great carpeting viola, which hugs the ground. Think how great they’d look in a window box, or on little terracotta pots on an outdoor table!

Pansy varieties 2022

Viola Bel Viso Blueberry Swirl

Delft blue colours, 80s denim, whatever it is, I love it! Think of it with some sexy golden diffs bursting through!

Pansy varieties 2022

Viola Corina Honeybee

It looks like a bee, and smells of honey, what else would they name it? Incredibly popular on the old telly sales, and in garden centres too, it seems.

Pansy varieties 2022

Viola Sorbet Tiger Eye

Enjoying a revival in recent years, I remember selling many years ago. Although other colours exist, they’re as rare as hen’s teeth!

Pansy varieties 2022

Viola Sorbet XP Neptune

Watercolour Violas are always a winner for me. I might even be racy and try this as an indoor plant.

Pansy varieties 2022

Pansy Premier Beacon Rose

Premier Series is a commercial grade variety, with clear blooms, held on strong stems, and with icy resistance!

Pansy varieties 2022

Viola Bel Viso Pineapple Crush

Voted top by visitors to the trial gardens last year, I think customers knew what they were doing when they put an X in the Pineapple Crush box! Another beaut.

Pansy varieties 2022

Pansy Colossus Series

Billed as the largest blooming types, this one seems to be winking!

Pansy varieties 2022

Viola Sorbet XP Deep Orange

One of the most fabled colours, hardest to breed, but with the most striking colours, and scent. Sorbet is the premier series of Viola, with more colours than you can shake a damp Petunia at!

Pansy varieties 2022

Pansy Premier Blueberry Thrill

Another decadent pansy, with big clear blooms. Set to brighten up the dullest time of year in your garden.

Pansy varieties 2022
Comments
  • Leah Anderson

    Wow didn’t know about this & I live just up the road from this garden centre thanks for the information will visit & hopefully find some other items to add to my garden

    March 16, 2022

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