This dwarf mutant forms dense mats of very deeply divided, almost fern-like leaves, and short dumpy spikes of light blue flowers. It is perfect for growing in a trough or small alpine garden rather than a large rockery. ... Learn More

Numerous long, graceful, pointed spikes of brightest blue flowers open from June until late summer. This popular, long-flowering herbaceous border plant also produces excellent cut flowers. Very long-lived, and bone-hardy, it will gently self-seed to places where little else will grow! ... Learn More

This majestic perennial boasts striking slender spires of delicate, pure snowy-white flowers above dense green foliage. Flowering from June until August, this is an eye-catching addition to the cottage garden or can be dotted through a large herbaceous border to good effect, and is happy in full sun or partial shade. Especially impressive in a dark corner! ... Learn More

This lovely tender perennial can be easily-grown as an annual, flowering prolifically in hot, dry climates and relatively infertile soils. The glossy green leaves provide a background for attractive, five-petaled flowers, which range from pink, red, purple to white and bi-colored flowers. It is valued for its hardiness in dry and nutritionally deficient conditions,and is popular in subtropical gardens where temperatures rarely fall below 5 °C and as a warm-season bedding plant in temperate gardens. It is noted for its long flowering period, throughout the year in tropical conditions, and from spring to late autumn, in warm temperate climates. The species has long been cultivated for herbal medicine and as an ornamental plant. And in Ayurveda (Indian traditional medicine) the extracts of its roots and shoots, though poisonous, are used against several diseases. This conflict between historical indigenous use, and recent patents on C.roseus-derived drugs by western pharmaceutical companies, without compensation, has led to accusations of biopiracy. ... Learn More

The "Altai Pansy" is a rarely seen plant with unusually large, deep cobalt-blue flowers with a tiny yellow eye, above compact clumps ofb dark green, very narrow, lanceolate leaves. It is native to meadows and rock crevices from south western Russia through eastern Asia. It flowers over a long period from May until September and will do well in any humus-rich, well drained soil in a sunny to partially shaded spot, where with luck it will gently self-seed. ... Learn More

Long-spurred, light violet flowers open over a long period in spring and early summer on vigorous cushions of lance-shaped leaves. Making superb naturalising specimens, these flowers are pollinated while they are open unlike many other violas species, which are self-fertilised without the flowers opening (cleistogamous). The seeds have an oily body which is attractive to ants who disperse the seeds. This plant gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. ... Learn More

The complete spectrum from our cottage garden with small or medium-sized flowers, colours ranging from pale yellows through bicolors to dark blues. If you're feeling really lazy - just sprinkle this lot over your worn-out rockery for a beautiful display! ... Learn More

This rarely-seen or offered alpine viola has a quite spectacular, bright violet flower head, with two prominent, protruding, 'bunny rabbit ears', and a characteristic bright yellow central spot, with very little foliage to detract from your enjoyment. Amongst other loci it is found high in the Italian Alps where it grows on dry meadows and limestone screes. Surprisingly, it lends itself readily to garden cultivation, when it may gently self-seed, if you are lucky! ... Learn More

The scrambling climbing shrubby violet is completely herbaceous, yearly making a tangled "shrub" bearing largish, mauve-veined, white flowers. It will gently self-seed, if you are lucky, but never ever become a nuisance. ... Learn More

This rare and choice viola produces compact sprays of rosy-purple flowers from March until July. If grown in shade and moist soil it will gently self seed. If you are lucky. ... Learn More

In spring and early summer, this rare and delightful compact plant makes a creeping carpet of deepest purple foliage, above which it bears dark violet flowers. It will gently self-seed, coming quite true and keeping the purple foliage, and is a superb plant either as a specimen or as a ground cover. Few seeds collected. ... Learn More

Another new viola! Gorgeous, deepest violet, doubled flowers, resembling Parma Violets, appear on short stems in early spring, above arrow-shaped leaves. About half the seedlings will have ordinary flowers and need rejecting (shame...!) at this stage. ... Learn More

Deep purple, early spring flowers above sprays of attractively marbled pink and cream foliage. A completely new colour-break in viola variegation. Developed and named here at Plant World and now grown and copied worldwide! ... Learn More

This diminutive, and rarely encountered gem lives in damp and even wet, boggy spots in moist meadows, marshes, and stream banks in northern parts of North America and Eurasia. In the UK it is confined to cold, high moorland areas where it displays its short-stemmed, pale lilac flowers over spreading mats of small cordate leaves. In the right spot it will slowly spread, stem-rooting, to make a low carpet of leaves and flowers. ... Learn More

This very rare, spectacular, and the tiniest of dwarf gems does best in a shady corner or a pot out of the sun, where it makes an attractive, slowly creeping and rooting carpet of tiny hairy leaves with miniature yellow-eyed, pale blue blossoms. These appear mainly in the spring, but it will gently flower throughout the year if happy. It will also make a superb ground cover beneath other taller plants, either in a conservatory or in a greenhouse. Sent to us labelled 'Seed Collected Alpine Papua New Guinea' and certainly not yet in wide cultivation, ... Learn More