9 Types Of Pansy: A Guide To Cheerful Garden Faces

There’s something incredibly heartening about a pansy. With their cheerful little faces and vibrant colours, they seem to smile right at you from their pots and borders. 

They’re the troopers of the garden, often providing a splash of brilliance when other plants are having a long nap. But if you think a pansy is just a pansy, you’re in for a lovely surprise. There are so many fantastic types of pansy to choose from, each with its own personality.

Whether you're pottering about in a sprawling country garden or brightening up a city balcony, let’s find the perfect pansy for you.

1. Matrix Pansies

This is the quintessential modern pansy, prized by professional landscapers and home gardeners for its exceptional uniformity and reliability. Matrix pansies are bred to have a tight flowering window, meaning all colours in the series tend to bloom at the same time. The plants have a compact, branching habit that resists stretching in warmer weather, preventing them from becoming leggy. 

They produce famously large, upward-facing flowers (up to 9 cm across) on short, sturdy stems, creating a dense carpet of colour. They are incredibly versatile, perfect for mass plantings in beds, formal borders, and creating bold statements in containers.

2. Cool Wave Pansies

As the name implies, Cool Wave pansies have a completely different growth habit. Instead of growing upright, they are vigorous trailers, designed to spread and cascade. A single plant can spread up to 75 cm, making them the ultimate choice for hanging baskets, window boxes, and spilling over the edges of retaining walls. 

They produce a huge number of slightly smaller flowers compared to Matrix, but the sheer volume of blooms creates a spectacular, tumbling display. They are also exceptionally hardy, known for overwintering well and being among the first to burst into colour in early spring.

3. Frizzle Sizzle Pansies

This series is all about texture and flair. Frizzle Sizzle pansies boast unique, heavily ruffled and frilly petals that give them a fancy, almost carnation-like appearance. The flowers often come in vibrant jewel tones and captivating bicolour combinations. 

While their growth is more upright and clumping, similar to a standard pansy, their unique flower form makes them a standout choice for containers, pots near entryways, or anywhere their intricate, "frizzy" texture can be appreciated up close.

4. Violas (Johnny-Jump-Ups)

Although a distinct species (Viola tricolour or Viola cornuta), violas are the close cousins of pansies and are always sold alongside them. The most significant difference is size; violas produce a profusion of small, delicate flowers. What they lack in individual flower size, they make up for in quantity and resilience. 

Violas are exceptionally tough, often more heat and cold-tolerant than larger pansies. They have a sweet, subtle fragrance and are perfect for creating a soft, cottage-garden look, underplanting bulbs, or filling in gaps where a carpet of dainty colour is needed.

5. Majestic Giants II Series

As the name suggests, this series is bred for size. Majestic Giants II produce some of the largest pansy flowers available, often reaching an impressive 10-12 cm in diameter. The blooms typically feature the classic dark "blotch" or "face" that many people associate with pansies. 

These plants are known for maintaining their large flower size even in warmer conditions and have excellent hardiness for overwintering. They are perfect for creating a dramatic focal point in garden beds and large containers.

6. Joker Series

The Joker series is famous for its striking and playful bicoloured patterns. The most traditional "Joker" combination features vibrant purple or violet upper petals that contrast dramatically with orange or golden-yellow lower petals, often with fine "whiskers." 

The effect is a cheerful, two-toned face that adds a touch of whimsy to the garden. They are compact growers, making them well-suited for garden edging, window boxes, and mixed containers where their unique colouration can shine.

7. Delta Series

The Delta series is a direct competitor to the Matrix series and is celebrated for its extreme weather tolerance and uniform habit. Delta pansies rebound exceptionally well from rain and cold. They produce large flowers on strong, short stems that hold the blooms upright.

This series offers an extensive range of colours, including many "clear" varieties (without a blotch) and unique tri-colour blends. Their reliability and manageable, non-stretching habit make them a go-to choice for dependable autumn and spring displays.

8. Bolero Series

Similar to Frizzle Sizzle, the Bolero series focuses on texture, but with a slightly different form. These pansies have beautifully ruffled, semi-double flowers, giving them a fuller, more dramatic look than standard pansies. 

Developed in Italy, they are bred to be tough and perform well in various climates. The blooms are large and come in rich, often subtly shaded, jewel tones. They are ideal for creating a high-impact, luxurious look in premium container plantings and garden beds.

9. Inspire Plus Series

The Inspire Plus series is known for its extra-large flowers (around 8 cm) and excellent performance in both autumn and spring production. They are bred for a very uniform and compact habit with short stems, ensuring a neat and tidy appearance in packs and pots. 

A key feature is their ability to produce flowers early, even under the low-light conditions of shorter autumn days, providing reliable colour when many other plants are fading. They are a fantastic all-around choice for vibrant, large-flowered displays.

Conclusion About Types Of Pansy Flowers

Pansies truly are one of the most versatile and rewarding flowers you can grow. With their happy expressions and dazzling range of colours and forms, there is a variety to suit every garden and every gardener. 

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Frequently Asked Questions About Types Of Pansy Flowers

Do Pansies Prefer Sun Or Shade?

Pansies are quite adaptable, but they flower best in full sun to partial shade. In the height of summer, they appreciate a bit of shade during the hottest part of the day to stop them from getting leggy.

Are Pansies Annuals Or Perennials?

While technically short-lived perennials, most people grow pansies as hardy annuals or biennials. They tend to lose their vigour after one fantastic flowering season, so it's best to plant fresh ones each year.

How Can I Get More Flowers On My Pansies?

The secret is deadheading! Regularly pinch off the faded, spent flowers, including the little stalk. This stops the plant from putting energy into making seeds and encourages it to produce more lovely blooms instead.

What Is The Main Difference Between A Pansy And A Viola?

The easiest way to tell is by flower size. Pansies have much larger flowers, typically with four petals pointing up and one pointing down. Violas have smaller, more numerous flowers, usually with two petals pointing up and three pointing down.