Wild Violets!

Common Blue Violet

Last weekend, I decided to take a walk through Southwestway Park in Indianapolis to see what wildflowers were enjoying our early spring. I was amazed to find many!

There were May Apples, Trillium, and others beginning to put on their spring show but more than any, I noticed the Violets. Honestly, I haven't paid much attention to them before. In fact, I learned right away that I had been taking them for granted, never really showing much appreciation for their individual beauty. This trip, I felt somewhat moved (I am sure God had some involvement with this) to focus on the violets as a reminder that it's okay to periodically pause. So, for the remainder of my hike I decided to get down on my knees and appreciate the violets at eye level.

Yellow Violet

At eye level, I was even more amazed when I rediscovered that violets were not only blue (mostly purple) but also yellow and white. Each amazingly distinct and incredibly gorgeous.

After I got home, I looked up violets to see what I could find on the internet and was immediately disheartened to learn that violets are under-appreciated and considered a weed by most. Typing in wild violet will mostly pull up ways to eradicate this lovely plant since it enjoys showing its beauty to the world via our yards. I have never been one to worry too much about grass versus weeds in my yard so long as it's green but, apparently most do providing me a new theory that that most yard fanatics don't spend much time on their belly actually looking at what they are killing.

I'm not judging but, I am on a violet kick right now, okay!

White Violet

My guess is most people reading this blog have taken the time to look at a violets just as I have and have equally appreciated what they offer to our landscape - especially in a woodland setting. But, if you haven't please do.

I am now convinced that this orchid-like flower was designed for attention and so deserves a moment of our time to appreciate it not as a an ordinary flower but as a gift. One for which I am personally thankful.