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Two simple vases on Monday

My vase this week is no shrinking violet!  I found these little beauties nestling in the verge alongside the Edinburgh to London railway line. A harsh environment for such a delicate little flower, especially when the express trains thunder past!  The colour of these sweet violets, Viola odorata, is rich and intense, and they have the delicious scent of parma violets!  Sitting in the little Devon violet vase is exactly where they are meant to be!
Not far from the violets was a lovely plant of red campion, Silene dioica, in full bloom.  I have seen red campion flowering throughout the winter, but the intensity of colour in this plant jumped out at me!  So pretty.

Comments

  1. We all assume that violets are delicate but there always seem to grow in the most surprising places. Very pretty though.

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    1. They do have a delicious scent - just like a tube of Parma violet sweeties or shouldn't that be the other way round!

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  2. Well snap, great minds think alike, I used violets today too. They are a delight to bring indoors. And Red Campion too, that's an early treat.

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    1. Your violets are beautiful! Such a rich colour - I really love them!

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  3. Such a pretty little vase, so sweet. And campion flowering too! We have lots of campion in the garden but I have never seen it flower in the winter

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    1. I have seen red campion flowering in odd places all through the autumn and winter. Not white campion though. It seems to grow quite profusely through woodland and all over the place here in East Lothian. A lovely plant!

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  4. A perfect vase for your violets! Pretty and tough they are.

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    1. I spent a little time today trying to find out more about my little Devon violet vase. There are loads of them, although none exactly the same as mine. I think it was from the Torquay Pottery though, and probably around 70 years old, give or take a decade!

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  5. Such a picture...and just the perfect vase. Violets were sold to remind Londeners that spring was on its way...and often used in button holes. The violets were sent up by train from Devon where they were grown and being warm flowered very early.

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    1. When we lived in London, years ago, I used to buy little bunches of violets, sold with a rufflet of leaves around them. They drink through their heads so enjoy a dunk in a glass of water from time to time! Glorious little beauties!

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  6. Your foraging expedition worked out well. If only we had violets growing wild here!

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