Viola odorata ‘Conte di Brazza’

Conte di Brazza Violet (Viola odorata 'Conte di Brazza') is a double white parma violet grown for perfume rather than size. It reaches only 150mm tall and spreads to about 300mm across, forming a low evergreen mat under trees and along shaded paths. The scent carries much further than the plant's size suggests, and the flowers are edible.

Why you'll love it

• Perfume out of all proportion. A handful of blooms will scent a doorway or a small vase.
• Fully double white flowers. Packed, ruffled blooms rather than the plain five petal violet, held on short stems above the leaves.
• Edible flowers. Crystallised for cakes, or scattered fresh over salads and desserts.
• Evergreen groundcover for shade. The leaves hold all year, so the ground stays covered between flowerings.
• Frost hardy and undemanding. It copes with poor soil and cold winters without attention.

Where it works best

Groundcover under trees. Plant 300mm apart, about eleven plants to the square metre. The mat closes over a single season.

Borders and edging. Use it along a shaded path or at the front of a cottage border, where you brush past the flowers and pick up the scent.

Pots and small gardens. A wide shallow pot near a back door suits it well, three plants to a 400mm pot.

Growing Conte di Brazza Violet in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade is ideal, with morning sun and shelter from hot afternoon light. It belongs in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens and is genuinely frost hardy. Humid tropical and subtropical summers are too much for it.

Soil. Moist, humus rich soil with compost worked through and 50mm of mulch over the top. It tolerates poor soil, but flowering is far better where the ground holds moisture.

Water and feed. Keep it evenly moist through spring and summer, because drying out completely is what thins a patch. A light complete fertiliser in early spring and again after flowering is enough.

Pruning. Shear the old leaves over once flowering finishes to freshen the clump, then lift and divide every three years. It spreads by short runners rather than seed, so it thickens steadily without becoming a nuisance, though it will creep into a lawn edge if you let it.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold in two sizes: tube stock, and 140mm pots in packs of ten. Tube stock is small, often just a rosette of leaves, and it is the value choice for covering ground. A pack of ten 140mm plants set 300mm apart covers about a square metre straight away.

Violets travel well because they are low and compact. Plant in autumn or early spring, expect a quiet few weeks, then a full flush of flowers in the first cool season. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• A guide to the most fragrant plants
• Browse the wider fragrant plants range
• The best ground cover plants for shade
• Compare other options in groundcovers

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Three hundred millimetres apart for a groundcover, roughly eleven plants to the square metre. Closer planting does not close the gap any faster and makes weeding harder in the first season.

Will it grow in full sun?

It will survive, but the leaves scorch and the flowers are short lived. Part shade, or full shade under deciduous trees, gives better foliage and a longer flowering season.

Are the flowers really edible?

Yes. Sweet violet flowers are traditionally crystallised for cake decoration or used fresh in salads and desserts. Pick them clean and dry, and only from plants you have not sprayed.

Will it take over the garden?

It spreads by short runners into a dense mat rather than seeding about, so it is easy to keep in bounds. Edge the bed once a year and lift any pieces that stray into lawn.