“Tiny little violets coming in the spring,
Happy songs of summer to our hearts you bring;
Your delicious perfume scenting all the air,
Tell us where you’re hiding in the woodland fair.”
My grandmother would sing this song to me each spring. We would always take a walk down the road to visit the violet patch that grew on a small plot in a land trust. I could not get enough of the sweet scent or beautiful shades of purple that blanketed the ground. Perhaps this is where my love of violets started. The end of April through May are my favorite days of the whole year since this is the time the violets bloom in the Northeast. There are quite a few varieties on my piece of property alone. Here are some that I have enjoyed this spring
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| Viola odorata 'Rosina' |
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| Viola odorata 'Rosina' |
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| Viola odorata 'Rosina' |
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Viola odorata 'Rosina'
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Viola odorata ‘Rosina’ is a very pretty pink violet that can be different shades of pink to purple according to the PH of the soil. It is a highly scented violet that is one of the earliest bloomers, blooming at the end of March. It spreads if it likes the spot you plant it in. Loves soil rich in leaf mold. Does well in zone 4.
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| Viola sororia 'albiflora' |
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| Viola sororia 'albiflora' |
Viola sororia ‘albiflora’ is a very large white violet that is so lovely in bouquets. It does not have a noticeable scent. I recently found a few plants near my riding ring growing in very sandy soil, but doing exceptionally well. It is the first time I have found these on my property.
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| Viola sororia 'priceana' |
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| Viola sororia 'priceana' |
Viola sororia ‘priceana’ also called the Confederate Violet because it has similar colors to that of the confederate uniform. This violet is lovely when naturalized in large areas...it will blanket the area in beautiful large white flowers. I love it as a border plant. It has no noticeable scent.
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| Viola sororia |
Viola sororia is the common blue violet that many of us have in our lawns. It is absolutely beautiful as a border flower or even in a section of lawn that it can be allowed to take over. It has no noticeable scent.
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| Viola odorata 'royal robe' |
I just started growing Viola odorata 'royal robe' in one of my gardens. It has a delicate sweet scent. So far it is doing very well, but has yet to spread. I may move it to a sunnier location to see if it does better. Sometimes Viola odorata benefits from a little bit of sun.
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| Viola odorata |
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| Viola odorata |
This is a Viola odorata that we have had on our property for at least 40 years. I think my mother brought the first plants here from Fairfield, CT when she moved here as a newlywed. It may be a variety of Hungarian violet that my family grew. It has a very large purple flower that fades to blue as pictured above. It has a very beautiful sweet scent that is very different from 'Rosina'.
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| Viola odorata 'White Czar' |
Viola odorata 'White Czar': I bought this violet a few years back from a nursery. Since then it has spread somewhat, although it is not as prolific a sewer as the nurseries claim. It has a very delicate scent and makes a lovely cut flower. I think this violet would be ideal for a bride's bouquet.
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| Viola sororia 'Freckles' |
I love Viola sororia 'Freckles' for it's very pretty speckled and painterly look. It is an unscented violet and is hardy to zone 4. It does well in part shade; I have found that it does not do well in full shade as some may suggest. It will do very well and spread in soil amended with leaf mold.
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| Viola labradorica 'Purpurea' |
Viola labradorica 'Purpurea' is a great violet choice if you are looking for a ground cover with lovely dark leaves. The delicate purple flowers are an added bonus. Works beautifully as a border plant or planted under roses and with orange tulips such as 'Princess Irene' (a favorite of mine since on of my grandmother's names was Irene). Hardy to zone 4 and a prolific sewer by rhizome or seed. I find their lovely little bronze leaves coming up all over my garden and feel the need to transplant each one. The blooms are unscented. I found they do well in part shade and sun.
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| Viola striata |
Viola striata, or striped cream violet, was gifted to me by Sydney Eddison a few years back. I told her that I collected violets and she gave me a small clump of these beautiful violets. Now they have spread all over our property. They go well with my primroses in my primrose garden since they like the same type of soil and conditions. they look beautiful as a border flower or in mass plantings in beds. They stand out when interplanted with dark leaved heucheras. They are unscented.
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| Viola pubescens |
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| Viola pubescens |
A walk in the spring woods reveals even more beautiful violets. The woodland floor and path I ride Basil, my horse, on is often blanketed in the lovely Viola pubescens or downy yellow violet in early May. They are an unscented variety.
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| Viola conspersa |
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| viola conspersa |
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| Viola conspersa |
Along the woodland trail intermixed with the downy yellow violet the Viola conspersa or dog violet can be found. The are very delicate little flowers with a spur. They form little clumps and have rather short stems. Once in awhile you may come across a clump with slightly longer stems so you can pick a petite bouquet. They have a delightfully sweet scent.
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| Viola cucullata |
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| viola cucullata |
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| viola cucullata |
As a little girl I loved to walk around our pond, along the stream, and through the marsh to pick Viola cucullata, or marsh blue violet. They have very long stems, range in color from pale blue to lilac. They have no scent. They have spectacular eyes that make them very pretty in a bouquet. Our neighbor has a beautiful marsh area where these grow in very large numbers; it is a lovely sight when they are blooming at the same time as the bright yellow marsh marigold.
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| Viola blanda |
Viola blanda, or sweet white violet, is a very small violet that grows in the dryer parts of the woods. I was only able to find one small clump this spring. Upon doing a little research I found it is an endangered species. So sad, since it is such a beautiful little violet. It does have a very faint scent.
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| Viola sagittata |
Viola sagittata, or arrow leaved violet, grows in sandy soil in part shade. It stands out with it’s beautiful arrow shaped leaves. It has no noticeable scent. I found it growing along my riding ring and near our barn driveway. Only a few clumps. I am hoping they spread.
I hope you enjoyed my photographic journey of the various violets on my property. There is more to come as I am always searching the woods of my home and that of my parents for new and different violet varieties.
