| Viola (Violets) Extract from Helga Urban "Ein Garten der
Düfte"
Violets are an ideal combination of delicacy and toughness. They open the door to a fascinating world. Ranging from classic to unusual, exotic and extravagant they offer something to everybody in terms of both colour and fragrance. Next to roses and lilies, violets are likely to be the flowers most widely covered in literature. - The god Vulcanus is said to have fallen in love with Venus who kept rejecting his advances because of his appearance. Finally in his lover´s grief he rubbed himself with violets and, thus scented, sought his fortune again. Bewitched by the perfume, Venus was trapped into a kiss. - Empress Josephine´s bridal gown was embroidered with violets and violets stood for her love to Napoleon even after death. - Goethe used to carry violet seeds in his pocket which he scattered when strolling in Weimar thus "contributing to making the world more beautiful". (Propagating violets by this method is, however, not that easy and will only be successful if the seed is very fresh). - The perfume of the violet is unparalleled: sweet, warm and romantic, ready to make our lives more beautiful and easier. The violet stands for humbleness and modesty. However, joy, reminiscence and reflection are also included in its power. Its perfume is a transient medium between the past and the present. It is impossible to get too much of it. It is intangible, no sooner has it been perceived than it is lost again. Violets deserve much more attention in our gardens. It is a pity that they have gone out of fashion and many delightful varieties have been lost. A renaissance would be highly welcome for both the violets and us - a request of the new millennium. Growing violets is easy, new plants can be produced from suckers and by division. The main flowering periods are spring and late autumn, but even in between there is the odd bloom to be picked. Violets demonstrate a very unusual behaviour among flowering plants in that they are not dependent on insects for reproduction. Seeds are produced in cleistogamous inflorescences which appear as inconspicuous green buds subsequent to the proper flowers. They develop without cross-fertilization furnished with appendages containing sugar and fat and are thus frequently being spread by ants. It is no wonder that violets show up anywhere in the garden. The "proper" flowers are only produced when temperatures are low. As soon as the temperature steadily exceeds 8 °C the green seed capsules appear instead. Thus the violet is not dependent on its perfume allowing it to be somewhat temperamental in that respect. And it is too. It seems likely that insects have made this experience, too, therefore concentrating on more reliable fragrances. We owe the wonderful violet fragrance to a chemical substance called Jonon, which belongs to the Keton group. This substance very quickly leads to our perception of fragrance being reduced. Thus it is not the flower which loses its perfume, instead, our ability to perceive it gets lost temporarily. If you bend over the flower again some minutes later, the perfume reappears only to disappear again once our sense of smell gets tired. It was mainly this phenomenon that resulted in the violet fragrance becoming so popular. It is impossible to get too much of it. Viola odorata (Sweet Violets) The Sweet Violet is a messanger of spring. Winter is obviously over and the intensity of its perfume and its velvety dark purplish colour captivate. - up to 15 cm
Viola suavis (Parma type Violets) The perfume of the Parma type of violets is the sweetest of all. Here the violet perfume is enhanced by the warm, balsamic fragrance of the wallflower. Its overall appearance is more delicate and loose, the foliage is brighter and the suckers are significantly longer which makes them ideal for small hanging baskets. All have double flowers and this is what adds most to their special charm. For me they are among the most nostalgic flowers. Unfortunately, they are difficult to find these days. But it is not impossible and this has made me fickle, although I prefer the white varieties which are available. In our climate they need the protection of a greenhouse or conservatory or at least a glass shade. - 20 cm
Translation © 1999 by Helga & Klaus Urban
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