Like a mischievous little leprechaun!
The wild pansies scattered through my herb garden remind me of a mischievous little leprechaun. One moment he’s suddenly peeking unexpectedly from behind a rosemary bush with his bright and cheery smile, then mysteriously vanishing to immediately reappear poking his head around the side of some daisies with a cheeky grin saying ‘Here I am now’!
Wild or field pansies have a real sense of fun and laughter about them that is infectious. The multitude of cute and quirky common names that have been given to the Viola tricolor, as it is known botanically, bring a giggle and thoughts of that little Irish fellow playing tricks in the garden; Johnny-jump-up, jump-up-and-kiss-me-quick, hearts delight, tittle-my-fancy, kiss-me-at-the-garden-gate, kiss-behind-the-garden-gate, kiss-her-in-the-buttery, love-in-idleness, butterfly flower, cuddle me, three-faces-under-a-hood, stepmother and birds-eye.
However, there is also a more serious side to the wild pansy. Love-lies-bleeding, heartsease and herb-constancy as alternative names refer to its medicinal use in folklore to treat heart complaints, although whether these were physical or emotional ailments remains unclear. A cordial prepared from the flowers was consumed by the sufferer to ease their heart, a bit like the Bach flower remedy made from viola blooms to boost one’s energy, but I’m sure that just looking at a colourful floral bouquet would be enough to lift one from a state of gloom! Although the wild pansy is still used medicinally today to treat skin disorders, it’s probably best known as an edible herb that adds lovely colour to salads or cool summer drinks when frozen in ice cubes.
The trio of contrasting colours that give the bloom its name is nature displaying its cleverness. Purple and yellow sit directly opposite each other on the colour wheel, and all artists and designers know that opposites create perfect contrasts that bring out the best in each hue. I’m sure we’ve learnt this piece of wisdom from observing many flowers over millennia that have been created using this principle! Each viola bloom is a slightly different combination of colours, whether it’s a variation of the classic purple, yellow and white, or a mix of warm hues of purple, violet and gold.
Bees love wild pansies. The dark purple lines that lead into the centre of the flower are guides for them to find the sweet treats in the nectaries deep within, and in the process brushing past the pollen laden anthers, collecting it on their fine hairs to assist flower fertilization. I love the old story that the number of bee-guide lines in a flower can tell the fortune of either the person who picked it, or the person to whom it is gifted! Four lines means your wish will come true, five that there’s trouble coming but you’ll deal with it, six that there’s a surprise in store, seven that your paramour is faithful, eight to warn of a fickle lover and nine that you’ll travel across water to marry!
The wild pansy is such a delectable mix of botany, mystery, magic and meaning, but it’s the heartfelt message from that little leprechaun that stays with me when I see this flower happily blooming in my garden: Always remember to laugh at ourselves and don’t take life too seriously!