Viola odorata

Sweet violet, Viola odorata, is a charming perennial, bearing tiny, strongly scented flowers over semi-evergreen foliage. It's perfect for growing in a sheltered spot in light shade and can make good, light ground cover in a dappled woodland garden or under shrubs. A carpet of sweet violets makes fragrant ground cover in a rose bed, giving it a spectacular early flowering display leading up to the start of the rose season. Plants are easy to grow, and spread slowly.

How to grow sweet violets

Sow Viola odorata seeds in spring or autumn, either in pots or seed trays, or direct into a well-prepared seed bed. Plant out in moist soil in partial shade.