Quite a few years ago, I gained an interest in starting new, baby violets by cutting off the leaf of one flower and planting it. I'd have multiple styrofoam cups with leaves sticking up out of potting soil as I waited and watched to see full plants form. I was amazed at the process.
Eventually, I wound up with too many African violets. And since my office area at work was starting to look like a greenhouse, it was time to give some of my plants away. I was quite proud of them, as I'd developed (by sheer accident) several really neat color combinations in the blooming flowers. One, in particular, turned out to be almost white with purple splotches. That's the one I decided to give to my grandma, whose own African violet had died. She cherished her new plant and cared for it daily. Every time I would visit, I'd see new blooms. My grandma loved it when it would bloom, and if the plant looked like it was in trouble, I'd come to the rescue and give it some new dirt, a little TLC, and nurse it back to health.
My grandma kept this violet up until she passed away at the nursing home. I couldn't let the flower go - not when it had been so special. So now it's back in my office at work, enjoying a window and florescent lighting. It stopped blooming for a while, but I was happy to see that it's well on its way to producing more flowers. It must be content.
Most people don't realize that I honestly don't know much about African violets. I've been told they're temperamental, so I must just have a streak of luck. (I tried growing new plants again recently and failed miserably, so I must not remember exactly what I did before.)
Regardless of whether or not I have the know-how, I'm glad that I can now look up and see my African violet...and smile as I think of my grandma.
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