Violets

[sparkles2307]

We have purple ones growing all along our evergreens. THe neighbors have yellow ones, and the day care lady has white ones. My kids know how to identify them by the curling of the leaves, and its so fun to see them discover a new patch here and there We mow them, and they come back better for us. I dont let the boys pick them, I have taught them that its better to not pick flowers so we can enjoy them longer. I love voilets too

 

[Hattie the Hen]

My chickens must be champion weeders then, Reinbeau! Because I had a small bank covered by violets, under my silver birch tree, until I let them free-range the garden. Now there is not a sight of the violets -- ALL GONE, along with my grape hyacinths.....!!! Lucky that they leave the primroses & alliums alone. I have some pretty double primroses which I treasure as well as our common one and some cow-slips & ox-lips. They are all in my woodland garden or Dingley Dell as I call it..!! The chickens love this area as there is a very ancient bench for them to perch on. They also have their dust-baths there.

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[Reinbeau]

Hmmm, they'll eat the violets and grape hyacinths? Nah, can't trust them, they'll eat everything else, too! Mine have decimated the hostas next to the garage, which is right outside their coop door - I don't mind, they're throw-away hostas anyways, but boy oh boy, can they chew through them fast!

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Reinbeau,

Yet they are leaving my veg alone -- at the moment .....!!

I try to put myself into the minds of my chickens -- to defeat them. I find it very difficult to choose between my plants & my chickens!!! Something has to give -- it depends on my obsession of the moment.....?


:rose Hattie :rose

 

[Reinbeau]

Oh no, around here, the plants win Don't get me wrong, I love my chickens, but I love my gardens more. Hubby has a long white board he uses to shush them out of the garden, we keep them pretty well contained even when they're loose free ranging. Now if I could just get them to go up the driveway (but not to the street!) where they could eat all the violets they want!

 

[Sylvie]

I think the other reason I don't enjoy them is I can't smell them. At all. I know they've got that chemical in them that makes you able to smell them once and then not for awhile, but I can't smell them at all, ever!

Hmmm. That has not been my experience. Guess we are all different in that respect.

It is a standing joke at the large perennial nursery where I work that there will always be a newbie who states that they want to plant Jump Ups. We all groan and tell them what a pain they are to eradicate. Again, maybe our area. Still, there's something to be said for the common experience of many here in our area with the same problem.

 

[Reinbeau]

I guess we are all different - because I just don't see why they are a pain. Yes, they 'jump up' everywhere, but they are so easy to pull, and bloom so early, I just love them! How can you not like faces like these:

I potted up over 130 this year for the plant sale, this is only half of them, we give them away to the children, and they just love them:

I had a flat of them in my truck overnight, there were too many to all fit in the bed, and the smell the next morning was heavenly - honeyed johnny fragrance. I can smell them, but not violets! Yes, they're 'weeds', but I adore them.