Viola cornuta 'Arkwright Ruby'

Viola cornuta 'Arkwright Ruby' is an antique variety that is a favourite among gardeners for both its historical charm and ornamental beauty.
Originally bred in the late 1900s when breeders in Britain and Europe were developing violas with an eye for compact growth, cool-season bloom, and in a painter’s palette of colours. It has been in cultivation since 1923.

'Arkwright Ruby' will deliver a vibrant splash of colour in any garden. The rich, velvety ruby-red blooms are relatively large and grow to around 3 to 5cm (1 to 2in) in diameter, they stand out with vivid golden eyes and petal edges. Violas in general are low-maintenance and happy in most soil types. They have long stems and a long flowering season and are incredibly hardy and very versatile. Perfect for borders, rockeries, under shrubs, or in pots, containers, and hanging baskets. They're also excellent for adding colour to partially shaded spots, and many varieties, including this one, will gently self-seed and spread over time.

Introduced by the Scottish gardener James Grieve, who bred several varieties which were characterised by their immense flowering. Viola cornuta 'Arkwright Ruby' is named in honour of Sir Richard Arkwright, a key figure of the Industrial Revolution. An English inventor and entrepreneur, Arkwright is best known for developing the spinning frame, which transformed the textile industry. This viola variety pays tribute to his legacy of innovation and industrial progress.

Sowing:
Violas are perennial plants but are often treated as annuals or biennials. 60 days from seed. They can be sown practically all year if at temperatures of around 15 to 20°C (60 to 68°F) can be provided.
They can be sown in December to February for May blooms. Sow before July for flowering in autumn, or sow September to December for larger spring blooms.

Use a good quality seed starting mix (John Innes or similar) or make a mixture of compost, a little vermiculite and a little sand to give drainage. Sieve the compost into pots or cell packs and press it down lightly. Add a little more compost if necessary. Make a small indentation with your finger and pop one seed into each indentation.
Light is not required for germination. A medium covering of coarse grade vermiculite is recommended to help maintain high humidity around the germinating seed, if you do not have vermiculite, cover lightly with sieved soil.
Place the containers in a cold greenhouse or outside in a cold frame, ideally at temperatures of around 15 to 20°C (60 to 68°F) Avoid temperatures above 21°C (70°F) to prevent seedling stretch. Maintain the soil at fairly wet moisture levels, i.e., the media is glistening, but water will not ooze out from the bottom of the tray and will penetrate only slightly from the top around the fingertip.

Transplanting:
Optimal outside growing temperatures are 60 to 70°F (15 to 21°C) days, and nights in the low 50s°F (11 to 15°C) for the first few weeks. Violas can also tolerate lower night temperatures – in the 40s°F (5 to 9°C). Fertilise with a balanced fertiliser in the growing media mix to encourage good foliar growth before flowering.
Violas will thrive in any good soil and, although they will do well in part shade, they appreciate plenty of sunshine. Viola flowers follow the sun, or, on dull days, they follow the best light. Plant them where you look at them with the sun or light behind you - then their flowers will face you.
If you want to achieve long stems so that they are suitable for bouquet work, plant them no more than 5 to 10cm (2 to 4in) apart.

Cultivation:
One thing that helps violas give their very best is regular dead-heading. So as soon as the flowers fade, nip them off. Use kitchen scissors or thumb and forefinger. During the growing season, fertilise the plants monthly with a balanced fertiliser. Water the plants well and allow to dry slightly before watering again.
Viola cornuta is hardy down to around minus 15°C, sometimes even minus 20°C if the soil is well-drained and it’s not sitting in wet soil all winter.

Plant Uses:
Violas combine well with spring bulbs and foliage plants in containers. They make excellent ground cover planted under shrubs and trees and the edible varieties can also be grown with mixed salad leaves. A few of the longer stemmed varieties in a small vase will last over a week and look magical.

Cut Flowers:
The prolific blooms of violas and pansies offer a welcome splash of colour, but many gardeners don’t think of using them as cut flowers. These delicate flowers work best in small bottles and vases. And when you bring them into the warmth of your house you’ll notice, perhaps for the first time, their sweet fragrance.
In the new book 'Pansies' by the florist and pansy queen, Brenna Estrada, she describes Arkwright Ruby as 'the one I most highly recommend ... it manages to surpass every other variety with consistency of stem length'
'Pansies' is an indispensable guide for growers, florists, artists, and collectors - and without wanting to sound like an advert - it's inspirational. Make room for it in your life, you won't regret it.

Edible Flowers:
The entire blossom of violas can be eaten, including the petiole. (The leaves and roots aren’t considered fit for human consumption.). This is a huge advantage as you can use whole blooms in salads or as lavish garnishes on cupcakes or cream-based spring pies, without resorting to painstakingly plucking petals.
The blossoms frozen in ice cubes are always beautiful. The flowers make a beautiful addition to any spring meal, even if only as a decoration. If you are planning to use your pansies in the kitchen, be sure not to use pesticides or other chemicals.

Origin:
Viola is the largest genus in the family Violaceae, containing between 525 and 600 species. Violets are native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere and are also distributed in Hawaii, Australasia, and the Andes in South America. Violets are found in moist and slightly shaded conditions such as hedgerows.
The charming horned violas, Viola cornuta have been part of the English cottage gardens for generations. In the late 1900s, breeders in both Britain and Europe were churning out these charmers with an eye for compact growth, cool-season bloom, and a painter’s palette of colours.
Introduced by the Scottish gardener James Grieve, who bred several varieties which were characterised by a compact growth and immense flowering.

Nomenclature:
The genus name Violet is the diminutive form of the Latin Viola, the Latin form of the Greek name Ione. There is a legend that when Jupiter changed his beloved Io into a white heifer for fear of Juno's jealousy, he caused these modest flowers to spring forth from the earth to be fitting food for her, and he gave them her name.
The species name cornuta derives from cornu, meaning 'horn', for the little spur or horn on the back of the flower.
It is also commonly called the Horned Violet due to the plant's distinctive spurred flowers.
Part of the surge in ornamental violas bred for colour and longevity in the late 20th century, Viola cornuta 'Arkwright Ruby' is named in honour of Sir Richard Arkwright, an English inventor and a leading entrepreneur during the early Industrial Revolution. He was best known for developing the spinning frame, which revolutionised the textile industry. The naming of this viola variety pays tribute to his contributions to industrial advancement.

Sir Richard Arkwright:
Industrialist and inventor Sir Richard Arkwright (1732-1792) is best known for developing the cotton-spinning machinery that revolutionised the manufacture of cotton in Britain. His name is most strongly associated with Lancashire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire where his cotton mills were based.
He is credited as the driving force behind the development of the spinning frame, known as the water frame after it was adapted to use water power; and he patented a rotary carding engine to convert raw cotton to 'cotton lap' prior to spinning. He was the first to develop factories housing both mechanised carding and spinning operations.
Arkwright's achievement was to combine power, machinery, semi-skilled labour and the new raw material of cotton to create mass-produced yarn. His organisational skills earned him the accolade 'father of the modern industrial factory system,' notably through the methods developed in his mill at Cromford, Derbyshire, which is now preserved as part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.