Violets

The violets are blooming!

That is especially meaningful to me because my mother's name was Violet. My mother lived to be outside working in the garden. She hated the darkness of winter and would have been the first to spot these tiny little blooms of spring. 

Violets are shy, rather like my mother, and you have to get down on the ground to see them properly, but then you can catch their wonderful sweet fragrance. 

They are no Brazen Hussies, like these bold little girls, who turn their faces to the sun. 

 Ranunculus ficaria 'Brazen Hussy'

But Violet does have friends.

 Primrose

 Saxafrage

Grape Hyacinths 

It's temping to want to pick Violets, because they are so pretty and smell so sweet. But I have learned not to. Violet doesn't like being plucked and brought inside. She withers and droops.

She wants to stay outside, planted in the dirt of her garden.