ILONA ANDREWS

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For Nila

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Nila wanted to know how the African Violets are doing. Most of them are either getting ready to bloom or thinking about it, but I do have this one to show off.

The color has not been photoshopped. It’s really that vivid magenta. This is Cherry Delight from Lyndon Lyon. The other varieties from the same order haven’t bloomed yet. It is taking them awhile, but when they came to me, they were tiny. I’ve successfully grown them to a respectable size and will post pictures when they bloom.

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  2. Thank you for sharing. This Cherry Delight is a beautiful flower. I’ve not had an African Violet since the rattus rattus vermin ate mine. African violets are evidently tastier than cooking ginger, which was next to the African violets. My mom wants gardenias.

  6. Just stunning! Two out of my three houseplants have died, and the one still living is a cactus. I just don’t have the touch. If all plants came with specific directions, I’d be set.

  8. Beautiful. My office at work had the perfect conditions for African violets. Looking at them kept me many times from saying/doing things I would regret later ????
    Unfortunately I have killed every one I have tried to grow at home. But a small price to pay for the joy of retirement

    • Mine did not do well on repotting. They did not like it and I had to nurse them back to health. 🙁

  12. That is a beautiful and quite large violet! I followed the link to Lyndon Lyon….Wow, I had no idea there were so many varieties of African Violets. I just have a few basic types purchased from the supermarket but now will be expanding the collection. Thanks for the reference.

  20. Beautiful – I’ve literally just come in from deadheading my mother’s multitude of pelargonium and petunias on her balcony. A non stop task in the summer but even I admit worth the effort to see the cascade of glorious pinks.

  24. fiberartistmarket.com

    You violets are lovely, and yarns delightful!
    The above link is to a guild I belong to supporting small fiber businesses. Some of the hand spun fibers they offer are so soothing to work with. I thought you might enjoy browsing.

    Best always from a fan and fiber fanatic with too much yarn and not enough time !

    Lol I became a spinner as knitting wasn’t enough.

  25. Beautiful. My grandmother could grow the loveliest African violets. Unfortunately, I did not inherit her talent. Yours are beautiful.

  27. Wow! So pretty, the color with the those dark green velvety leaves is just fantastic.

    I’m jealous I can’t seem to grow any indoor plants, which makes me appreciate yours even more. 🙂

  28. Lovely. Thank you, Ilona Andrews, for the post. Unfortunately my feline believes I don’t provide proper nutrition or maintenance for potted plants. Although the Serrano hot pepper on front porch for BIL is thriving. Looking forward to pictures of others blooming.

    Thank you

  29. Beautiful. They are extremely temperamental. Either they like how their treated or they don’t. And if they don’t, they die just to spite you – oh you’ll try to save them and beg and plead…but no.

  31. Beautiful, your cherry delight is even better than the one on Lyndon Lyon.

    I’ve always had mixed success with african violets. Some will die fairly quickly, some will strike, some will flower profusely and then die. My conditions must not be quite right.

    Looking forward to the pictures of the rest, when they flower.

  32. I love African violets, but I concentrate more on their gesneriad cousins…. If you haven’t tried the Primaveras or the Stretocarpi, give them a chance, the blooms and foliage are beautiful. Aaaand, most of these also grow well with jewel orchids (terrestrial orchids know more for their foliage than their blooms)… I have to hold myself back all the time!

  35. Thanks for linking to the greenhouse! I had no idea there were so many beautiful varieties. I had to leave my little African violet when I moved from Canada to the US. It always bloomed so must have liked the little pot I had it in. It had very dark purple blooms with very dark green velvety leaves. I had assumed that was what all African violets looked like …boy, was I wrong! 🙂

  36. African violets are beyond me. Currently trying to keep a small succulent alive in my sewing room. I’ve been banned from picking up knitting needles. Apparently I’m dangerous with them but my youngest assured me when I was banned that I have ‘other’ gifts. ????

  38. Nice! I remember a previous post about them a while back. Glad to hear they’re surviving and thriving, unlike any African violet I ever hosted. I have discovered that I can keep Rex begonias happy, so I’m sticking with them. No flowers as a rule, but the leaves are gorgeous.

  39. Those are beautiful! (Love the pot as well)

    I’m glad they’re surviving with your dogs! Our Spaniel used to love dead-heading mum’s plants & flowers in vases…sadly before they were dead… guess he objected to them!

  42. I’ve never seen that type of frilly flower on a violet. It’s beautiful.

    The ones I rescued from a Wal -Mart are struggling to find their place in my home. Not enough light. Too much fertilizer. My little kids poking them. So I have moved them outside to a Shady spot on the porch. Time will tell if they like it there!

  45. I don’t know how many of you have friends and relatives in the Pacific NW, but it’s damned hot here. Tuesday, it’s supposed to plummet into the 90s.

    The gardeners I know have been watering early or late or when the plants in question are going to be spending several hours in the shade. I haven’t heard what the farmers are doing; but the ones my mother knows have been retired for years at this point. I hope no fires start – last year was hideous and I could cheerfully go a full generation without a repeat.

    The African violets are lovely. I hope your electrical grid is surviving summer.

  47. Gorgeous flowers. One suggestion from a fellow African violet grower, you might want to consider turning the pot so the leaves lay flat. When the leaves stand up, they are looking for the sun. I like to give mine a quarter turn when I water. If this is too much on top of all the other stuff you take care of, forget I said anything.

  48. Wow, gorgeous. I’m jealous. While I’m normally pretty good with plants, I seem to kill off African violets.

  49. I absolutely love the Catalina Series. The Emerald Blaze so far is my favorite. Are you going to write more in this series? Your perception of the Houses in the Houston Area is perfect. Love to hear from you.

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