Monday, April 18, 2011

Pretty Pansies Brighten-Up Front Yard



Today's post joins Metamorphosis Monday on Susan's blog, Between Naps on the Porch. Be sure to go there to check out other home projects. Just click http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/.

Large planters on either side of some steps in the front yard, and one near the main steps, have been looking pretty forlorn for several months, piled with snow and pelted with icy rain.





















While reading the newspaper one morning, there was an ad to a plant nursery that sold "frost resistant" pansies. Man alive, my eyes picked up that tidbit like a magnet.

Off we went to the plant nursery to check out the pansies. There were hundreds of them in all colors and designs, like this:





Do you remember picking johnny jump-ups in the woods, as a child?  Well, did you know that pansies are descendants of johnny jump-ups?  They are, according to the book Garden Flower Folklore by Laura Martin. This is a terrific book, crammed with hundreds of flower facts, legends, and, well, folklore.




Often associated with love, heart-shaped pansy leaves were used to cure a broken heart, according to Martin. Also, legend has it that pansies used to be all white until Cupid's arrow pierced them and purple and yellow appeared!













While looking for pansies for the front yard pots, it was almost impossible to make selections. I loved them all! Should we get solid yellow or the pansies with the little "faces?"  We opted for the latter.

Once home, the flat of pansies is ready for planting:


















Into the pots they go:                                                   





















The dismal looking winter weary pots are now filled with brave and beautiful  pansies. The pots already are starting to look so much better!


One sweet flower fell off during the transplanting so we called it "pansy in the palm." 

               

Now comes the waiting game to see if they really are frost resistant!

DO YOU LIKE PANSIES? 


 

15 comments:

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Love pansies! I should plant some! They have cute faces!

Bookie said...

Pansies are frost resistant! You will love them. You see lots of them in Missouri through the winter. Pansies at Crhistmas in some beds!

You know in my compost pile I found vinca growing! I dug it up a few days ago and planted in with marigolds in a rail box. I had NO idea it could or would live the winter. How did it do that? Surprise!

Linda O'Connell said...

I love pansies. Every Easter I received one at Sunday School when I was a child.

Mariette said...

Dearest Susan,

Oh, those pansies will brighten your days and they are a tough plant! Enjoy this beginning of spring for you.

Lots of love,

Mariette

diane stetson said...

I love pansies and johnny jump ups...must get some for my backyard. Yours are so pretty!

nannykim said...

We planted outs in October and they have been in full bloom since that time. They are gorgeous right now, but will die soon with the May heat here in SC.

BECKY said...

I like pansies, too! My favorite flowers are tulips and petunias!

Linda O'Connell said...

I am having problems posting on Blogger today.

Rebecca said...

How bright and beautiful and brave, indeed! Our days have just been too chilly, too dismal, to wet to get very excited about ANYthing outdoors. (At least for me.)

I really SHOULD do something like you've done. It might call forth some spring-like weather.

mo said...

Dear Susan,

I have never seen a heart in a pansy until today.

Thank you for that.

Now I will see them every time I look at one.

What a wonderful way to begin a Monday.

*hugs*

mo

Kathy said...

Adore Pansies - we plant them in the Fall - they handle the winter chill quite well here.
Hope you have a great week,
Kathy

Karen Lange said...

These pictures are so bright and cheery! Now I want to go an get some for my flowerpots. :) I'm inspired to get some things done outside.
Have a wonderful week,
Karen

La Tea Dah said...

Oh Susan, spring is coming! I love your pansies! I bought pansies on Friday too! Mine still need planted, though.

LaTeaDah

Chatty Crone said...

I love pansies as well - we grow them all winter long down here - they are what makes our winters so pretty in spite of the cooler weather. They survive a bit of snow too.

Erin | Bygone Living said...

So beautiful! ♥

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