“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost

Monday, April 9, 2012

We Have Violets

Yes we have violets growing and blooming in the wild areas and the flower beds of our yard. I picked a few and placed them in this little antique crystal flower basket next to the vintage bunny. The bunny looks as though he is just about to give them a taste!

Growing up on a farm during a time when the farm chemicals (herbicides and pesticides) were frequently applied to any "weed", I never really remember seeing a wild violet. The only violets I knew of, were the fancy African Violets that my grandmother grew in her living room.



Vintage Bunny Candy Container checking out the Violets!

I guess I secretly always loved violets, even though many people consider them to be pesky weeds.   On the farm most anything that was not edible by livestock or people was considered a weed. So the Violets and the Milkweed were sprayed and chopped into oblivion.  Of course now, many years later, we are starting to see the error of this misguided thinking.

 



I still remember my father's warning about violets and milkweed many years ago, which of course I ignored. Now that I have my own garden they both can grow almost anywhere they want. Violets make a wonderful ground cover under the trees and shrubs and when the rabbits eat them they just grow back as though nothing ever happened. So while the other plants come and go, my violet's are always there for me each spring.




9 comments:

  1. Violets are indeed very pretty flowers. I don't have any yet in my garden, but I think this year is going to be the year I'll finally add some.

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  2. I grew up on a farm too, but my dad’s favourite flowers were violets, so they were allowed to grow wherever they pleased. I always have a few in my garden in memory of my lovely dad. I love your picture.

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    1. Barbara, how lucky you were to have a father who liked flowers! My grandfather loved flowers and had beautiful roses, peonies and various flowering plants. I guess the love of flowers skipped my dad and landed on me! On my mothers side my grandmother was the flower gardener. She always had some new plant to show us every time we visited her garden on the Kansas prairie. ~~ Diane

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  3. Very pretty pics. Violets are lovely and like Martha, I think they may just be the newest addition to my garden :)

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    1. Jane and Martha,
      If you do add violets, just know that you will have them forever! I have a few white violets too, but they tend to bloom a bit later and are not as plentiful. I will be on the look out for them to get some pictures. ~~Diane

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  4. Violets are very pretty. I love dandelions too and I don't think of them as weeds. It's all down to perception! Flowers that grow wild have such a lovely natural beauty don't they?
    Jess xx

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  5. Oh, your violets and bunny are so pretty. Interesting to hear about the violets when you were growing up.
    ~Sheri at Red Rose Alley

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  6. These are really pretty - I love the vibrant colour. They do look a bit like butterflies as well - putting them in front of your 'butterfly wall' mirrors the effect very cleverly! xx

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