The local paper started a recent garden column with this line,
"Tired of fighting wild violets?"

My initial reaction is to ask, "Why fight with violets?" Violets are beautiful and add a splash of lavender to an otherwise monotone green landscape. For many non-gardeners, violets may also be the only contribution they are making to the butterfly population.

Violets are a host plant to the Great Spangled Fritillary and its relatives. The Fritillary rivals the Monarch in its splendor and can be seen often during the summer.

I would even encourage you to buy violets to put in your garden, and if they spill out into your yard, so much the better. They come in many colors and I usually try to buy one or two each spring to add to my collection.

Make love, not war, on violets.