Hi all,
my garden has these growing around the edges, against the wall, and self-seeded in the paving:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IPfscUgkD74/S6eeEZTmx7I/AAAAAAAAAW4/Q4Z1rPYEQmU/s1600-h/IMG_4965.JPG
Large clumps of what appear to be giant violets - the leaves are up to 3 inches long. Any idea what they are?
cheers,
H
Yep...they are Sweet Violet...Viola odorata..."only wild violet with richly scented flowers"..if they do not "smell"...Common Dog-violet...Viola riviniana ;)
First one has downy leaves and dog violet has hairless leaves.
Other violets have only faintly scented or scentless flowers.
So now you have go and have a good sniff..and let us know which ones they are.. ;D
Thanks Goodlife - but are you sure they grow to this size? As I say, they're quite huge, unlike any other violets I have seen or have growing in my garden. I should perhaps take another picture which shows scale, but bear in mind that the leaves are 2-3 inches long, and that isn't including the stem. They don't have any scent.
ok..my book says...common dog-violet...perennial with rosettes of leaves, creeping runners, solitary flowers on slender stalks 5-10 cm tall. Flowers 15-25mm long (that's 1in)..dog-violets have largest flowers out of wild ones...now there is always exceptions with everyhing that is how some garden varieties have evolved..as somebody has seen a plant that it's flowers are that bit better that normally..and those have been propagated..
Is that only clump that appear to have as large flowers?
And there is several cultivated forms of "wild" violas...
viola odorata..sweet violet 'Govenor Herrick' ..that has flowers 3-3.5cm across flowering from November to April..there is quite few old cultivars on this form..
Anyway..that looks really lovely..you could lift some up and pot it.. ;).I'm sure there would be plenty of interest for swaps...I'll volunteer for one ;)..to keep plant same you would have to propagate..or lift as seed would not come true..
Thanks for the research, Goodlife! It does sound something like that Governor Herrick - and it has just stopped flowering, too, so that's about right for timings. I'll be glad to send you a clump, message me with your address. :)
cheers,
H
The curious thing about the scent of violets is that it quenches the smell receptors, so you smell them once and then your nose is desensitized to their scent. It's a bit zen, but they may well smell, only not for your nose.
No, I really don't think they have scent. I have a pretty good sense of smell even with my ongoing hayfever. :)
Lovely!!! I have one largish plant of Viola Freckles. The flowers are small but beautiful so I hope they spread themselves about in my garden.
Helen...sample arrived ;)..gosh even without flowers the plant is big..definately cultivated form of wild viola...I shall look forward for my identification session.. ;D
Anyway..thank you very much..and have fun with your seeds.. ;)