Viola ‘Belmont Blue’
Overview
Viola ‘Belmont Blue’ is a charming perennial known for its profusion of soft blue, violet-tinged flowers and compact, cushion-forming habit. Flowering from spring into early summer – and often again in autumn – this reliable variety is perfect for brightening up garden edges, containers, rockeries, and shaded corners. Ideal for everyday gardeners, it offers colour, fragrance, and pollinator appeal with minimal fuss.
Key Features
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Botanical Name: Viola ‘Belmont Blue’
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Common Name: Viola
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Flower Colour: Light blue to violet-blue with a soft yellow centre
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Foliage: Neat, mid-green leaves forming a compact mound
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Height: 10cm
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Spread: 20cm
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Flowering Period:May to July
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Hardiness: Hardy in the UK down to temperatures of -20 degrees Celcius (RHS hardiness rating H7)
Why Grow Viola ‘Belmont Blue’?
‘Belmont Blue’ is a delightful choice for gardeners who want dependable, early-season colour in a refined and subtle shade. Its low-growing habit makes it perfect for edging, underplanting, or nestling between paving stones, while the soft blue tones add a soothing accent to spring planting schemes. The flowers are lightly scented and loved by early bees and butterflies.
Ideal Growing Conditions
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Sunlight: Thrives in partial shade or full sun in moist soils
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Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained soil; appreciates added organic matter
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Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist, especially during dry spells
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Feeding: Apply a balanced fertiliser in spring to encourage healthy flowering
Care and Maintenance
Viola ‘Belmont Blue’ is a low-maintenance plant that benefits from occasional deadheading to prolong the flowering season. In hotter climates, provide some afternoon shade to prevent stress. After flowering, lightly trim back to encourage fresh growth. Divide clumps every few years in early autumn or spring to keep plants vigorous and compact.
Pollinator Friendly
The early blooms of ‘Belmont Blue’ are an important nectar source for emerging pollinators such as bees and hoverflies. Its open flower structure makes nectar easily accessible, adding ecological value to ornamental planting.
Garden Uses
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Ideal for edging borders, pathways, and raised beds
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Lovely in containers and window boxes for spring displays
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Perfect in rockeries, cottage gardens, and woodland settings
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A beautiful addition to wildlife and pollinator-friendly gardens
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Suitable for underplanting spring bulbs and small shrubs
Companion Planting Suggestions
Pair with spring bulbs like miniature daffodils, crocuses, or muscari. It also looks beautiful alongside other compact perennials such as Primula, Aubrieta, or low-growing ferns. For contrast, combine with darker-toned violas or rich green ground covers.
Interesting Fact
Violas have long been loved for their dainty appearance and sweet scent. ‘Belmont Blue’ is a cultivated variety bred for its particularly soft blue colouring and its compact, free-flowering habit, making it ideal for modern and traditional gardens alike.
Final Thoughts
Viola ‘Belmont Blue’ is a delightful and easy-to-grow perennial that provides a welcome burst of blue in spring and beyond. Whether you're lining a path, filling a pot, or softening the edge of a flower bed, this viola brings charm, colour, and wildlife appeal to your garden with very little effort. A must-have for any gardener seeking a reliable and graceful performer.
Buying Perennials from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we lightly trim back our perennials after flowering and trim them back at the end of the season to ensure that the plants remain neat and tidy whilst in the pot. The more tender the plant the less we cut back to help protect exposed stems from winter frost. Depending on the plant variety we will then prune back further in spring once the risk of the more severe frosts is over.
As a result, depending on the time of year you buy perennials, they may not look like images showing their ‘prime time’ in flower and looking at their best.
From late autumn onwards and dependent on variety, there may be very little visible above the soil except for a few cut back dormant leaves or stems. It is perfectly normal for dormant plants to look like this from autumn onwards, they will however burst back into life in spring.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
Perennials are described and classified differently by different gardeners but all would agree that they are plants that come into flower every year from early spring to late summer, the exact time dependent on variety and most die back to ground level in autumn and winter.
As for all plants, soil preparation is time well spent. Dig over the area to be planted ensuring that the ground is free draining. If not then you may wish to either consider planting in a different spot or raising the level of the planting area by adding additional topsoil, well rotted garden compost and/or well rotted manure. Add ‘Fish, Blood and Bone’ fertiliser or a high potash fertiliser to encourage good root growth and development.
It’s always a good idea to plant a few of the same plant together, we recommend planting in 3’s or 5’s to provide a bold effect but allowing them plenty of room to develop.
Always check eventual plant heights when planning borders to ensure that the taller plants are at the back (or at the centre of an island bed) followed by the medium and then smaller low growing plants.
Remember to deadhead perennials after flowering, trim back lightly in autumn as required to tidy the border and if necessary trim again in spring once the risk of heavy frost has passed.
If perennials get too big, start to flower less and less or if it seems to be dying off from the centre, consider dividing the plant but always check that the particular variety is happy to be divided and that you divide at the right time of year for the plant.
By using this simple guide and a little time, perennials can make an absolutely spectacular difference to your garden.
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