Horned Pansy Bambini Mix is a colourful mixture of compact, free-flowering violas with blooms in shades of purple, deep purple, yellow and apricot, all featuring a bright yellow centre with contrasting dark markings. The plants flower abundantly throughout spring and often bloom again in late summer when faded flowers are removed regularly. Their compact growth makes them ideal for containers, window boxes, hanging baskets, rock gardens and borders. The flowers are also highly attractive to bees, bumblebees and other beneficial pollinating insects. Young plants should be protected from severe frost, while established plants generally tolerate light frost well. They self-seed readily, allowing them to naturalise easily in the garden.
The flowers of Horned Pansy Bambini Mix are fully edible and are among the most popular edible flowers used in cooking. They have a mild, slightly sweet flavour with a subtle fresh note and are especially appreciated for their beautiful appearance. The colourful flowers add a festive touch to salads and pair beautifully with lettuce, rocket, lamb's lettuce, spinach, cucumber, radishes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and citrus fruits. They also complement soft cheeses such as goat's cheese, ricotta and cream cheese. In sweet dishes, the flowers provide an elegant finishing touch to cakes, cupcakes, biscuits, muffins, cheesecakes, panna cotta, mousses, ice cream, sorbets, puddings and other desserts. They can also be used to decorate chocolates, confectionery and festive pastries.
A classic use is making candied violets. The flowers are lightly brushed with beaten egg white or a plant-based alternative, then sprinkled with fine caster sugar. Once dried, they become beautiful, crisp decorations for cakes and desserts. The flowers can also be frozen into ice cubes to create an attractive garnish for water, lemonade, cocktails and sparkling wine. They are equally suitable for flavouring vinegar, herb butter, sugar, honey or syrups, adding a delicate floral touch to both sweet and savoury dishes.
For the best flavour and brightest colour, harvest the flowers early in the day and use them as fresh as possible. Only use flowers that have been grown without pesticides. Both the petals and the entire flowers are edible and make a colourful, flavourful addition to a wide variety of dishes. Semi hardy perennial. Height: 15 cm.
Indoor sowing: December - March
Outdoor sowing: end of May - June
Germination: 10 - 20 days
Germinationtemp.: 15 - 20 °C
Sowing depth: shallow
Distance between the rows: 15 - 20 cm
Planting distance: 15 - 20 cm
Plant postion: sunny - half shadow
Flowering period: April - June
Sow indoors from December - March. Then the Horned Pansy will flower as an annual in spring and early summer. Sow thinly and shallowly in trays filled with well-moistened potting soil. As Horned Pansy is a light germinator, the seeds should not be covered but gently pressed in the soil. Keep well warm, light and moist. Cover the trays with a lid, glass or cling film to keep the seeds well moist. Set aside at about 15 - 20 ºC. The seeds will emerge after 10 - 20 days.
Remove the lid, glass or cling film as soon as the seedlings emerge. Transplant the seedlings into separate pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. From early May, once there is no chance of night frost, the seedlings can be put outside during the day to harden off. Allow about 10 - 14 days for the plants to harden off properly. After this, the young plantlets can be placed in a sunny, sheltered spot with semi-shade. Provide well-drained soil. Keep a planting distance of 15 - 20 cm. Keep well moist and weed-free. Never let the pansies dry out.
For flowering in late summer and autumn, you can also sow directly in the garden from May, when there is no more chance of night frost, in a prepared seedbed in the desired position. Sow thinly in rows 15 - 20 cm apart and do not cover the seeds, but gently press or rake them into the soil. Horned Pansies are light germinators. Keep well weeded and moist. When the young seedlings are large enough, thin out to 15 - 20 cm space per plant. Horned Pansies need a position that includes some shade, as the leaves can ‘burn’ in full sun. Remove spent flowers to enjoy the blooms for longer.
