I'd like to use pansies as my flower. I live in northwest Virginia. So far I haven't been able to find a site that will give me this information. Anything you can offer would be a great help. They may be cool season annuals, biennials, or hardy perennials and bloom in early spring or fall depending on the species and time of sowing.
Pansies have their own unique set of cultural requirements that differ from other summer annuals.
Planting time is critical. If you plant too early, before the weather cools, plants will often become weak and spindly in the late summer heat. Then they're more susceptible to winter cold damage, diseases and insects. For a longer blooming season they should be planted in a cool place and not permitted to dry out from the hot sun. They can be planted as early in March as the ground will allow.