Viola odorata

what a lovely little flower and a very nice photo.

was thinking it was a shame i didnt spot any devon violets while is was down there! do these normally come out in march??

nice little flowers, i have some down my side garden..

Thanks Sticki - March would be normal...........

Rather spreading though SL!

Stunning Meanie......

Oh wow off to check mine tomorrow, did notice tulips poking through today and the first snowdrops and hellebores about to open :-)

I will go check on mine tomorrow too...

Beautiful plant and picture Meanie.

Thanks Milky, Simbad and Alex!
They've been at it a while (they were hidden by my Sollya) as there are a few deadheads on it.

Great pic Meanie, I am almost tempted to grow them again..I had them in my last garden and they went everywhere...why did they ever get the name" Shrinking Violets"

Thanks Pimpernel! One thing that they're not is "shrinking Violets"!

BTW Sticki - these are good in shady gardens!

Fab. pic.

I thought that and I do have a few but not many at all and none that I have seen this year?!

Thank you Grandmage!

Maybe it's the clay Sticki...........

I haven't got clay, so that's what they like is it? Maybe they like damp shade? I have dry shade.

I didn't have clay..Or damp shade, though that is how they grow best in my Mums garden, she made the mistake of taking some from me...it is rampant in her neighbours garden as well now. They both love it.

Sos Sticki - I thought that you had clay! It does like moisture though...........

I think the trees take all the moisture, i think you call this soil almost friable? It's very free draining, almost sandy like but slightly acidic.
Very pretty flowers especially when photographed like this!

Thanks Sticki!

:-)
I have to say at least half the pleasure I get from flowers is the photo opportunities!

There is something in that!

Nice :)

Oh isn't that just gorgeous , I can't wait to go outside to see if mine are coming yet .......

Oh, I could look at this photo for ages ... it's a beauty, Meanie ... :o)

Thank you Severnside and Amy!

Thank you Shirley!

Great picture, Meanie....

Thank you Rbtkew!

Such a great close up! The plant is doing very well.

Thank you Delonix!

I was just thinking, viola odorata, is that anything to do with it's scent?

I think so sticki, it's called Sweet Violet as well.

and sweet scented violet?

My Latin isn't that good!

i was guessing odorous???

Beautiful little flower whose scent can fill a room.

Aren't they quite tasty too Lulu?

How nice to see and how early for it to be out... :)

Haven't tried one but I do remember violet sweeties! Loved them!

oh yes, palma violets??

Just checked and they taste like nectar..........

Thanks Holly - it seemed early to me!

you ate it???

I ate one!

flowers and young leaves are fine....The roots can make you vomit...

So just the petals and it tastes like nectar?

I just took the whole flower and left the roots alone!

Leaves taste as good as petals?

Lovely colour

Young leaves not the old ones, in salad and the flower. You can make Violet tea with the new leaves as well.

i thought maybe float some in fruit salad??

Flowers ? Infuse a yoghurt..?

ooooooh nice! i love yoghurt.

real custard might work too?

and then maybe creme fraiche??

and as an edible decoration on a cheesecake

So everything ends up with food then!!!!!

oooooooooops, sorry meanie but you did eat the plant.

I know - it was like pushing a button!!!

with certain people including me yes thats true.

so im predictable???

I wonder, what are the properties of violet tea?
it's a pity I have so many seeded unscented ones, I don't want to eat the one batch of scented variety that I have!

Thanks Homebird!

Sticki - easily led astray!

Don't worry Lulu - it'll soon be a big invasive patch!

well then you shouldnt tempt me ~ i wont mention food unless you do first.??

I can't help it!
Been thinking about Brie and bacon sarnies all day!

thats really made me laugh, so glad its not only me.

they are gooooooooood, needs a sauce???

made that coconut pud again tonight, its such a good recipe.

have you tried st vernier [i think] cheese? comes in a small pot and the skin is washed in wine. nice.

I had the tinned pears and Stilton...Yum

the sort i made pimpernel?? i did a slice of tinned pear and coated it in stilton and goats cheese then rolled it in toasted walnuts ~ yes a bit fiddly but it was for a new years eve party ~ hoped it looked like a yule log??? albeit rather smaller.

You guys are sick!! Pears and Stilton!!!

And Sticki - sauce with Brie de Maux, proper homesmoked bacon and artisan bread!!!! What would you have me do - plop a dollop of ketchup in there!!??

I will be looking out for the St.Vernier though - Waitrose?

NO not ketchup, just needed a tad of something piquant i thought???

pears and stilton work well. so does nice stilton on its own.

'Jean Perrin fully expresses the 'terroir' of the Jura mountains. The cheese is made from the milk of local Montbelliardes cows and its rind is washed with a white wine made from the Savagnin grape. This brings to St Vernier both its unique flavour and creamy texture' yes waitrose and therefore ocado too.

"NO not ketchup, just needed a tad of something piquant i thought???"

Never mess with perfection!

How close to Bewdley are you? I think that this place may do Brie de Meaux.............

http://www.thedeliatbewdley.co.uk/more_cheeses_wedding_cakes_2.htm

wow fabulous picture, worth a trip at the weekend i would say. although london this weekend.

oldest son had one of those cheese wedding cakes ~ very nice and it was served in the evening alongside bacon baps ~ you would have loved it.

Classic pear and Stilton!.

Sticki - that is what I call a wedding cake!

You're not selling it to me Pimpernel!

yes i thought it would appeal!!
he loves cheese and i think part of the enjoyment was choosing and tasting which he would have on each layer. he went to a specialist cheese shop in london. Granted it doesnt look pretty but its much more workable, everyone enjoyed it, son got to have lots of cheese later which didnt go off and people still talk about it!!!

I have a mate who has his own butchers shop - talking a few months ago ago business and he said trade was good, but margins were poor, so I suggested that the only decent place for cheese was Waitrose. I gave him some Brie de Meaux to try. He has now switched his supplier, stocks the king of Brie's, and now can't get cheese in fast enough. Next to the cheeses are his home prepared cooked and cured meats (only place in town that does Haslet). What has happened is that people have said to friends that you must go in there for such and such a cheese, and once they're in there he has them buying meat and they're converted to ditching s/market meat.

Why am I telling you this? You should have seen the christmas hamper that he gave me as a thank you for that one conversation!

that is fantastic, and i would love to visit that sort of shop, you deserve that hamper, and yes i would love to have seen that too!!

have you thought of going into business consultations??

haslet!! ages since i had that, nice stuff.

It's a proper old fashioned butchers - only one around here with a game license, only place that can tell you the slaughter date of the premium beef. 60% (and rising) locally reared stock.

hopefully thats the sort of shop that will do well, thats the sort i like ~ people who love and know their stuff.

has to be really good to do well but sounds like this one is on the way ~ well done you!! he ought to be giving you some shares!!

btw how do you get superglue off your fingers, im trying to do two things at once and now i have glue stuck to me!!

Nail varnish remover and a stanley knife blade! Rub the remover in with a q-tip and use the blade to gently lift. Can be done with the remover alone, just takes longer!

Thanks! have to search the cupboard, there ought to be some remover in there somewhere, not something i use cos i dont wear nail varnish.

Me neither, so I keep some paint thinners from the bodyshop that we use..........

well you do surprise me!!!

i have white spirit ~ will that work?

I believe the active compound is acetane (not sure of spelling) which would not be present in white spirit. No harm in trying.........

ah ok, yes that makes sense, acetane is the stuff you can smell!! the alcohol might work?

Smells rather nice I think!!

if you like that sort of thing

prefer bacon sandwich smell myself!!!

Is Sticki still stuck?
Pear and Stilton...........yeah!

no it washed off eventually thanks lulu, with the help of a bit of cleaner and alcohol!!

Cleaned your finger then drank some alcohol!!

um not quite!! the gin helped take the glue off??? maybe. i didnt even lick my fingers!!

Delightful capture.......

Thanks DD!