The fast-growing varieties grown as garden plants are mostly small-flowered annuals or short-lived perennial violas. Many violas will come back every year thanks to self-seeding. Furthermore, violas are edible flowers and make unexpected garnishes and salad ingredients. They can also be candied for a frosted effect and used to decorate cakes or other confections.

Violas flower primarily in cooler weather. How long violas bloom depends on the climate. They are perfect for starting and ending the growing season in colder climates, as well as for bridging the seasons in warmer zones where they can remain in bloom throughout the winter. The timing for planting violas also depends on climate. In cool climates, they are usually planted in the spring; in climates without winter frost, they can be planted in the fall.