A floral black beauty

Unusual Violas can be a great addition to the garden, depending on what you plant them with.

There is always an infatuation when it comes to black flowers — anoraks like myself strive to source the blackest of Hellebores and tulips.

None, of course are truly black, more dark purple. However Viola ‘Molly Sanderson’ is as black as you can get. As much a peculiarity as a great addition to the garden, don’t forget that how you use black in the garden is very important.

Our climate is often very dark and if you position this low-growing perennial Viola in a bed with dark soil there is every possibility that you won’t notice it so try growing it with some bright stone mulch which will act as the perfect backdrop to the black flowers. To get the best out of plants for me, depends on what you plant them with and so try growing ‘Molly Sanderson’ next to something nice and bright.

I have mine growing next to the mossy type Saxifraga ‘Cloth of Gold’ and the texture of the Saxifraga along with the bright gold foliage colour brings the black Viola to life but equally the dark flowers seem to make the Saxifraga appear even brighter and more golden.

Do you ever wonder who these people were that have plants named after them? Very often it’s obvious, with Queen Elizabeth topping the list and it can be used as a tribute too, to famous actors, Rosa ‘Ingrid Bergman’, or even chefs, Fuchsia ‘Gary Rhodes’.

Molly Sanderson was a very well-known and highly regarded botanist from Northern Ireland and according to her, she had nothing to do with hybridising the viola, which she got from a friend in Kent, in the south of England.

This may have been a cross between Viola triclour and Pansy ‘Penny Black’. One day an official of the Royal Horticultural Society Dr Stone spotted the plant in the Sanderson garden and took cuttings. The next thing Mrs Sanderson knew, it was being shown at the Chelsea Flower Show in London bearing her name. Then it entered the British and Irish nursery trade. Dr Stone named the plant after the donor, Molly Sanderson and it launched the strain of black Viola that is very popular today.

Another Viola named after Molly Sanderson is the stunning variety, Viola ‘Irish Molly’. This is a much more colourful form which, for me brings more to the garden. Larger flowers, brown and yellow in colour with a dark eye are produced in abundance from spring right through summer and autumn.

Grow ‘Irish Molly’ in a well drained soil to ensure that it doesn’t get waterlogged as they can be prone to the fungal leaf spot Ramularia lactea which will lead to the plant dying off. The most effective control for this problem is to ensure that you buy disease-free plants and so if you see any sign of leaf spot in a Viola leave it in the garden centre.

I love ‘Irish Molly’ because it’s not a colour that you normally see in flowers, one look and you’re hooked. Under plant a yellow rose such as ‘Golden Celebration’ with several of these Violas for a fantastic combination.

Carol Klein of Gardener’s World opens the 2014 Carlow Garden Festival in this its 13th year. She will kick off activities with a talk on Life in a Cottage Garden on July 25 at 7.30 pm in the Woodford Dolmen Hotel.

For more information and tickets, (which are priced at €24.50), visit carlowtourism.com. Carol has such a natural manner and wonderful way of presenting I have no doubt that the evening will be a fantastic event.

She is passionate too about cottage gardening and working with the natural environment and so I am sure her demonstration will be full of great tips.

The festival runs over 11 days from July 25. Featuring 15 garden specialist speakers at different venues throughout the festival, there will be plenty for budding and experienced gardeners, and nature lovers to see and absorb.

Practical advice from a range of informative workshops will be available, as will visits to the many beautiful gardens in the county. August is the perfect month for a garden festival gardens are in full bloom and with the — majority of gardening work completed, it is the ideal time to relax, admire the work of others and make gardening plans for the coming months and years ahead.

The highlight of the festival for me is Carlow Garden Trail, a collection of 18 different gardening attractions which feature two gardens in the surrounding counties of Kildare and Wexford.

The trail includes great old gardens that have been lovingly restored and maintained throughout the years, and smaller gardens which are maturing beautifully with time, where visitors will enjoy guided tours, usually with the owner or head gardener. Carlow is also spoiled with award winning garden centres and forest parks .