Lovely Little Flowers...A Study in Violets

by Kelly

The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness. ~Therese of Lisieux

I've got a yard full of them.

From the back yard popping up in the lawn, to the front yard growing up out of tiny crevices in our sidewalk, I've got violets growing everywhere.

These common blue violets are wildflowers, and this time of year they can be seen flowering throughout the entire eastern portion of the United States.  Although most people call them weeds, I call them darling...enchanting even.

So I decided to geek out a bit and learn a little more about these delightful little flowers. If you're interested, here are a few facts about violets:

1. Violets {Violet Sororia} are the state flower for New Jersey, Rhode Island, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
2. Before being upstaged by roses, violets were considered to be the traditional Valentine's Day flower.  They celebrate celebrate modesty, virtue, faithfulness, humility, and happiness.
3. Violets were Napoleon Bonaparte's signature flower.  He used them to cover his wife Josephine's grave when she died, then later he donned the name 'Corporal Violet' during his exile.
4. Violets have some nutritional value...the petals and stems contain high amounts of vitamin C.
5. Violets have the ability to self-pollinate by means of an underground 'flower' which can then disperse a large number of seeds.

Besides all of these interesting facts, what I particularly love about them is their lovely shade of violet (for which they are named)...a color at the end of the visible spectrum of light (somewhere between blue and purple).  In addition, I find their delicate little flowers to be so graceful in the garden.  Quiet and subtle...a sweet harbinger of spring.

And I also love the idea of wildflowers in general.  Less needy and demanding than garden perennials, violets grow and bloom and live without fanfare.  Doing their work of making seeds to ensure future generations.  Tenacious and persistent, violets endure the longest winters and harshest summers.  They are survivors.

Yes, there is room for every kind of flower in my garden.  And today I wanted to celebrate the humble violet... so grateful for its special charm.

Until next time,

Kelly