Spring Brings Sweet Violets

I've always loved violets since I was a small child.

They are lovely treasures to discover in the woods

or in the landscape. I've been reading Adventures

in My Garden by Louise Beebe Wilder (1923).

She has this to say about growing violets:

"First, a sheltered position, then a soil that would

grow good vegetables--not too gorged with manure

or you will have all leaves and no flowers--but mixed

with a little old manure or material from a decayed

compost heap, or leaf-mould from the woods. The

end in view to make the soil cool and fibrous and of

a moderate richness. The crowns are set ten inches

apart each way and pressed firmly in. "

She speaks of growing violets, johnnie-jump-ups and

pansies in many varieties throughout her gardens. I

also do this. Last year as I walked around our acreage

I found three different types of violets in out of the

way places that were sunny and dry, which may be

why I only found one plant of each. My daughter and

I carefully moved them to an area that is moist in the

spring and where we thought they would be much

happier. I found a tiny bit a new growth this year,

so I hope they will come back soon!

~Brenda