Tuesday, April 4, 2017

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

11 comments:

heyjudephotography said...

I was so delighted when I read this post! Most people find this hard to believe, but this humble tiny flower is my very favorite flower. I even had violets in my bridal bouquet, which wasn't easy since I was married in October! I love them for their color. I love them for their simplicity. I love them for their scent. Thank you for honoring these humble photos in this beautiful post.

Carol said...

Oh I love my violets.They come even before pansies here and are really the first sign of spring after I've watched the geese return. I love your still life with the book pages!

Cathy H. said...

In early spring when I walk in the woods behind my house, the first sign of spring that I look for is the woodland violets. They just steal my heart! You've created such beautiful images for celebrating this small flower. My favorite is the next to last one, where you've tucked them inside a ball of twine. Ahhhhh!

Barbara Marincel said...

I love violets! They are usually the first spring flower here in Minnesota and it is such a delight to discover them by accident...also, my grandpa used to give them to my grandma, it was a special thing between them. I like to remember that when I discover them in our backyard this time of year. :)

Dotti said...

Such sweet violets. Yes, they are sweet. I've not seen any yet but I have wild grape hyacinth to spare. And as always, such a lovely presentation of your theme.

diane said...

When I lived in Connecticut, our yard was sprinkled with violets. The lawn guy came and asked me if I wanted him to remove "them there weeds". I was flabbergasted at the thought of getting rid of them :-D.
Enjoy!
diane @ thoughts&shots

terriporter said...

Such beautiful photos and great info about violets! You make me wish I lived where violets grow but, alas, they don't so I guess I will just have to enjoy them vicariously through you! I can just imagine you setting them up for these shots and how much fun you were having! And the photo with the perfect word art . . . so beautifully done. Thank you, dear Kelly, for sharing the beauty of your world with all of us.

Anonymous said...

Kelly, I love this post! The thought that this little wildflower sometimes gets over looked in the midst of Roses makes it that more special! The facts of the violets are very interesting and your photos are outstanding! Thanks for sharing!

Liz said...

I agree with you. Violets are absolutely gorgeous!

Sandra said...

I loved reading more about these charming little wild flowers that I have always loved since I was a child! Such beautiful images to illustrate your information and I love the little posy in that ball of string!

kelly said...

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who loves these delightful little flowers! xoxo

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