Hi !

That's really better with pics ! Glad you finally sucess :-)
That pink one is surely an odorata...but which one ? Some people here do have a better knowledge of that huge family :-)...I could try "Coeur d'Alsace" ?? ;o)

All the best :-)
Thierry.

Merci, Thierry! That's what happens when your daughter comes home for Christmas and shows Mama how to post pictures :))!!!

I couldn't resist dropping a note. I wish I could post a photo. I happened upon this site because I was surfing for "pink violets". Today I took a picture of my pink violets blooming under a pine tree. These violets have been in the family for generations. As the story goes, my mother was given the plants by a soldier in WW-1 when he was in the Swiss Alps. How true this is, I cannot attest, but it is/was the only story I ever heard. These violets have been on the property for more than 70 years. They look exactly like your photograph. Thanks for sharing.

Hi! Jack - are violets as eager to seed in your garden as they are in mine? We are at least 12 weeks away from violet blooming time here in Ontario and each year, there are more and more in my garden. I have these pink odoratas and also some purple odoratas called Royal Purple or Royal something.... then I have just regular woodland violets (the kind that don't have any scent) plus a kind called the Confederate violet (white with blue veins) and finally some little yellow ones. They all spread merrily everywhere and after they bloom, the lawnmower does a good job. The next year, they are back with a vengeance!

Ah yes, I have a proliferation of different species of violets. Being a newbie, I can't tell you what kinds they are, but what you describe pretty well mirrors what I have here in Lancaster. I like them all, and enjoy them immensely in the spring and early summer. My wife is just the opposite, she likes everything landscaped and "neat and pretty" whereas I like more of the primative look. Consequently, she has her half of the property (about a half an acre) and I have mine. Thanks for the note.....Jack

We do "neat and pretty" closer to the house and in the front, to please the passers by...:) and then, further from the house, towards the back and edges of the property, we go for more primitive, more woodland look.

I'm a newcomer to violets, we seem to have all the non fragrance ones, they are all native as far as I know. We have white, yellow and the regular purple. I started planting the fragrant ones last year, I think they are called "Royal Robe".

Dear mersiepoo,

Don't worry, except odorata and parmas (that's to say european ones :oP), all violets are non fragrance ! As beautiful as they can be (I do love american violets) most of them (99% in fact) don't have any perfume.

Here is Royal Elk: first bloom of the year !!! Even freezing didn't destroy it !
{{gwi:1339498}}

All the best :-)
Thierry.

Your violets must really like you to keep blooming like that! :) Thanks for the consolation, by the way. ;)

Where can one purchase Coeur d'Alsace violets? I've been looking everywhere when I came upon this site. Thank you for any info.

Ordinarily, you could obtain 'Coeur d'Alsace' from Canyon Creek Nursery -- but tonight their website isn't responding (hopefully this is temporary). I would keep checking them out at www.canyoncreeknursery.com and hope for the best; I'm not sure there is another source in the U.S. Other pink cultivars also exist and are sold by Canyon Creek, of which only 'Rosina' is commonly sold elsewhere.

Stefan

Sorry, I just realized I meant the Rosea Group (often listed as Viola odorata 'Rosea' or Viola odorata rosea) -- 'Rosina' ('Rosine') is sometimes available, but less desirable because of its comparative lack of fragrance in my experience, even though Coombs' book refers to it being a sweetly scented selection of the former.

Thank you for responding~I too have been attempting to reach Canyon Creek to no avail.I will keep trying.