Pansies – the book. Why I wrote it…

I’ve been working on this book for almost 4 years now, diligently trialing and researching pansies for even longer. The more I grew them, the more questions I had about their past and the certainty of their future. I put in countless hours of research, read book after book, and conducted trial after trial to both confirm and contradict what I had read and previously understood.  Through all of this, I thought surely I can’t be the only one looking for this information. There must be other pansy lovers who are eager to know everything I have been fortunate enough to uncover. I began to feel an obligation, to both the pansy and other pansy lovers, to do everything I could to help ensure this flower has the future it deserves.

I never imagined I would find myself a champion for the pansy and viola, but my path was inalterably shifted once I began to understand them for all they truly are.  I’ve done my best to accurately decipher their history. I’ve grown over 100 of the most beautiful varieties available year after year. Then I compiled the best of all of it into a book, in the hope of securing a future for the pansy and viola that to me, was starting to seem unfairly uncertain.

There are many reasons to write a book, and although I always hoped to write one, a book on this topic and for these reasons were never among my imaginings. I have become an unexpected guardian of the pansy and I want everyone to see this flower like I do, to understand the place it once held among flowers and why, and to see all its potential that’s been hidden away for almost a century. I want to see more people growing pansies for bouquet work and floral arrangements. I want seeds to be more readily available in the colors and textures florists and flower farmers most desire. I want to inspire new hybridizers that are willing to experiment and bring forth varieties in the beauty and grandeur of those lost so many decades ago.

I wrote this book, with the hope of showcasing the pansy in a way that might surprise you and in doing so also inspire you. I wrote it to break stereotypes and challenge perceptions. I wrote it to assure you that if you want to fill your home with vases full of pansies, you absolutely can, regardless of your experience and growing space.

The pansy deserves so much more attention, praise and appreciation than it is currently given. Pansies are known for being friendly, inclusive, reliable and persistent, but they can also be elegant, enchanting, and show stopping. If nothing else, I hope this book convinces you to grow more pansies and violas.

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