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Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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Posted by aeor nsw (My Page) on Mon, Oct 31, 05 at 22:28
Hi
I have some in a shady garden bed under some trees, and it's looking great and multiplying. Problem is I also planted a few shrubs and some dianella. Will the native viloet strangle the young shrubs if I let it keep growing or should I prune it back from aroung the stems of the shrubs? It seemed like a good idea at the time... a nice looking carpet, but will I forever be pulling it out around the shrubs and dianella?
Anyone else use it in garden beds? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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| Hi, I use it in garden beds, it can become a bit invasive. I used to pull it out here and there, but now, I just relax and let it do it's own thing. It will be OK and will provide a natual mulch for your shrubs. I love their little cheery flowers they send up here and there Goodluck
cheers |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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| Hi aeor I agree with sgcarter - just let it go but if you're really worried about it getting too close to other things just pull up those bits. I've never had a problem with it interfering with other plants. BTW - how's the Dusky Bells coming along? Mine is just about out of control and I think I mighht have to prune it!! Regards |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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| Bringing an ecological perspective in here, they are also very good at suppressing ugly weeds in moist shady garden beds. Environmentally friendly weed control what more could you ask for? |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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- Posted by aeor nsw (My Page) on
Tue, Nov 1, 05 at 15:54
Just what I wanted to hear, I'm going to let it do it's own thing. It's gorgeous. It does suppress a great deal of weeds, I just wish I could use it in the dryer slopey spots. (too dry for it).
My dusky bells is great,reillyoz007, spreading nicely and dealing with the seasonal change ie lots of sun remarkably well. It is the healthiest looking plant, very pretty and hardy. It's got to be my favourite plant. I've pruned it (tip) quite a bit now. Is your dusky bells in shade or sun? |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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| It's probably in one of the worst spots in the garden aeor. Full sun from before lunchtime until dusk, what seems to be a very dry spot and it gets quite a bit of the dratted SW wind we have here. And it loves it all. Consequently I love it :). I'm actually thinking about getting a couple of other correas which are more attractive to birds. Glad to hear yours has adapted well! |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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Weed suppressing ground covers for drier areas include:
1) Some of the salt bushes e.g. Enchylena tormentosa, Einadia hastata, Atriplex semibaccata.
2) Aceana novea-zelandiae
3) Glycine tabacina - rather delicate and attractive but at the same time quite dense.
4) Kennedia prostrata or Scarlet Runner
5) Densely planted Lomandra longifolia
6) Densely planted Dianella species
7) Wahlenbergia species
8) Brachyscome basaltica
9) Linum marginale |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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- Posted by aeor nsw (My Page) on
Wed, Nov 16, 05 at 21:14
Thanks for the list Greg. Ever helpful as usual.
cheers
Andrea |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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| it is growing around mykangaroo paws they dont seem to like it should i get rid of aroynd the paws |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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| I must be the only one unable to grow Viola hederacea. It just up and dies. I'm getting a good crop of other local native ground cover plants, some of them mentioned by Greg. Those that cover a lot of space are: Einadia (3 species ?) and Atriplex (both salt-bushes), Dichondra (kidney weed), Wahlenbergia (bluebell), Jasminum suavissimum (native jasmine), Boerhavia diffusa (tar vine), Convolvulus erubescens (Australian bind-weed (I hope)), Glycine clandestina and Glycine tabacina. Others occur just here and there: Lomandra longifolia and filiformis (mat-rushes), Eremophila debilis (amulla or creeping boobialla), Dichopogon fimbriatus (nodding chocolate lily), Helichrysun bracteatum (golden everlasting), Commelina cyanea (scurvy weed), Sida corrugata and Sida cunninghamii (corrugated sida and Ridge sida), Rostellularia pogonanthera (pink tongues), and Phyllanthus sp. (Dwarf spurge ?). |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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| Supeito I occasionally throw a VERY thin, wispy layer of pea straw mulch over mine and it loves it. Not sure why but if it's looking a bit 'anaemic' then this brings it back to full health in no time. Laurie, I don't know about the kangaroo paws, maybe someone else could help? |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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- Posted by aeor nsw (My Page) on
Tue, Dec 6, 05 at 20:51
Supeito, I've only had it for a year and I did notice it drop off a bit during winter. We get really mild frosts. Do you have any frosts? Other reasons could be not enough water, the patches which get a bit more sun than others droop noticebley in the summer. However it grows rampantly where I couldn't grow dichondra, so there you go. Sorry I'm not much help as a newbie to plants in general.
Laurie, I don't know about the kangaroo paws either, could it be because they don't like crowding around the foliage, due to dampness etc.? |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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| Laurie 2, native violets prefer a damp, shady position and kangaroo paws prefer full sun and excellent drainage, preferably allowed to dry out between waterings - nearly the opposite of native violets. Try moving the paws to a more suitable location. |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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Hello reilly and aeor.
I was trying to grow the native violets by the south wall of the house, where they got no direct sun. Like my other groundcovers they had to take their chances with rain water only. There are a few frosts.
I'll try again sometime. I should have thought they would prefer the shade. |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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Native violets seem to have naturalised throughout most of my garden. They don't flower in full sun, and the frost knocks them back, but they soon spread out again. They flower best in reasonably fertile soil where they receive morning sun. They respond to, and flower for a long time, if given a few feeds of ordinary liquid fertiliser.
I recently made a "living" seat cushion for an old garden chair in which I planted a type that flowers on very short stems. It's simple, very pretty, and I love walking past it. |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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| I have some growing in a garden bed against the west-facing wall of the house, at the entry. A carport to the west and the house to the north block most sun, but in summer they will wilt if the bed experiences a dry spell. But they quickly revive with a little water. Flowering is good and extensive. The position protects them from frost. |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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| My native violets get nearly full sun in summer (average 30 to 35C) but struggle if they don't get watered. I was suggesting to Laurie that if the paws aren't doing well but the violets are, the paws may not be in a suitable position as their 'ideal' needs are different. |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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They seem to be pretty tough plants by all accounts, just a little delicate with the water needs.
Goldhills, full sun, I suspected they could handle it.
Supieto, I put mine in because I thought it was full shade, however it does get a bit of sun in spring and summer. They handle it fine though.
Wattleblossum, I wish I could see your chair, it sounds amazing! Also, what do you mean by orinary liquid fertiliser? And while I'm on the subject, what sort of fertilising do you give your general native garden?
cheers
Andrea |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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Andrea, by ordinary liquid fertiliser, I mean one not designed specifically for natives e.g. Thrive. Some natives can take ordinary fertiliser - brachyscome and paper daisies, which both flower for a long time, are two that spring to mind. I'm not saying you must do this, just that with a reasonably high rainfall and sandy soil, it's something that works for me.
As for the rest of my native garden, which mostly consists of shrubs, most plants receive a small handfull of slow release native fertiliser once or twice a year. I avoid feeding anything I consider "difficult", eg, Boronias, Fringe lilies, Geraldton Wax etc, as I've learnt to think of these plants as lovely but short lived pot plants. |
RE: Native Violet - Viola hederacea
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| Hi there. I have this little gem in my garden too. Pops up all over the place. Doesn't get any special attention so I don't expect it to flower well. It seems to do ok though....it gets water from sub mulch drip irrigation which is the best investment I have ever made. I have a heavy layer of leave and eucalypt mulch and this native pops it's head up through that! It's a god send for me as trying to establish a native garden it's acting as a weed suppressor already. It must have come in in the mulch and I am happy to let it stay. Happy Gardening! |
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