This was one before I groomed her. The reason she needed to be groomed is because her stalk was crooked and the leaves on the outer rings are fading. They needed to go, along with the blooms, so that the energy and focus can be put into the healthy leaves and root system. I had to get down to the first 2 or 3 rows to restore the symmetry of the plant. She is already thanking me for helping her. I've had her for several years (perhaps more than 7) and she doesn't have an ID because she came from Home Depot violet stand and they don't name their Optimaras.
This is her once I finished: (it's ok, she will recover and grow to be more beautiful than ever.)
See the one on the right that looks like she is growing sideways? She was. I trimmed her root ball and then did surgery on her stalk and put the stalk back in the dirt straight. She will turn to the light within a few more days (this was taken on the 15th and she is already almost there) and her stalk will be completely straight in the soil.
The one in the solo cup directly behind her is called Irish Flirt - her leaves are crinkly on the edge and she has a beautiful miniature white bloom that looks like a tissue paper flower that we made in grade school.
Happy Sunday - I wonder how my real life, human children will behave in church today? I'll be worshiping with a congregation saying goodbye to their pastor upon her retirement. That church has been an active congregation since 1736. That's a LOT of people that have come and go.
My mom used to have violets. She has cacti now that she takes care of. She has a green thumb, while I have a dark brown and shriveled thumb.
I do enjoy the pretties though!
Posted by: Miss Jan | August 25, 2008 at 09:18 AM
Lovely. I always want to touch violet's leaves. They're so soft.
Posted by: DCup | August 25, 2008 at 12:07 PM