What I did Saturday.

I really dread the trip to Raleigh...hate the traffic. But I had to go and take Mom (79)on her weekly errands. With the AVSA Convention about a month away....I can home with these: top left: Lyon's Private Dancer, blooms almost glow!! top right: Sequins 'N' Ribbons, blooms almost 3" wide!!
center left: Rhap. Cora, so pretty!! center right: a NOID that was just calling my name!! LOL!! Bottom: three mini's that had been marked down to 50 cents.

Someone needs to give pointers on taking pictures of violets!! Mine sure look awful compared to what they really look like. LOL!!

Those are VERY pretty Meag! What a find! $.50 each for the minis! Woo Hoo. I really envy you ladies that can get in the car and drive somewhere that they sell gessies. We have the ugliest NOID AV's for sale sometime at Lowe's or Home Depot but in Maine that is about it. And when I say ugly, I wouldn't even buy one of the ones I see around here for $.50. 90% of the time they are just pitiful looking.
Those are GREAT!

Kim

wow, they look pretty good.sometimes it's hard to get the actual color of the violets with the camera's. play with the camera for awhile & you will get it. lol
mrsbonnie

Melanie!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!

There you are!!! I get upset when I don't see my Girls on here for a while. Nice babies...and the convention hasn't even started LOL!!!! I am already laughing at you wondering how you are going to bring home your pretty little finds in April. So glad I am not going because I can't afford a U-Haul. LOL! There is absolutely NOTHING around here that carries good gessies either. Nothing but farmland.

Connie

Those are very pretty!

Pat

Someone needs to shoot me!! LOL!!! I know that I have it bad now but....it's gonna get worse. LOL!! Baby Girl said that she was moving last night. I really cried because I don't want to see her go (my baby of five). But now, it's an extra bedroom. I wonder what I'll do with it?????? LOL!!

Hey, Pat!!!!

LOL!!! You know what I am thinking, Melanie:) We talked about room for the standard Hee, hee. Ahhh, the baby is spreading her wings to fly out into the big world. Always sad when that happens. She will be stopping by to give Mom hugs and kisses and to eat your cooking.

Connie,
laugh at me if you want to!! LOL!! Just wait til you see your box!! (laughing an evil laugh). Let's just say that the extra stand that you didn't want to get well.......I'm setting mine up now. LOL!!

ROTFL!!!!! OMG!!! We are sooo bad. Confessions: I just ordered some...ummm...would babies be the right word? I just told my husband that "we" need another plant stand!! I divided some babies off and lost my leaves in another so I have put more leaves down. Standards do take up more room and you will need the shelves for them...LOL!!! You are so funny :)

Well...I have to have something to fill the "empty nest." LOL!! Don't even talk about sticking leaves......would you believe I stuck about 50 yesterday. Why in the world can't I throw them away??

'Cause they are too pretty. LOL!!! 50 is a lot!!! Oh this spring fever is AWFUL!!!!!

Meag Congrats on your new babies..Love the Phrap. Cora..I picked one up a few weeks ago anf the blooms are beautiful..thanks for sharing..
Looks like we like the same plants..


Sonia

Very pretty, Sonia. Looks like you will be in the market for some plant stands in your future. I have 2 NOIDS that look like the bottom one. Each one is a different shade of pink. Also have a NOID solid purple one. If you or anyone else like NOIDS I will be more than happy to share leaves from them. I am taking pics as they bloom out and there are some that are just gorgeous. Only one has variegated leaves though but the blooms are pretty :) They are all standards.

Connie

Here are a few NOIDS blooming for me now...

Connie, those noids are absolutely beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I stuck about 60+ leaves a little over a week ago. I lost most of the leaves I stuck this past Fall, so this little venture was about redemption. LOL I did learn from my mistakes and am confident this time will be successful.

Meag, I envy you that you are able to go to convention this year. I was going to go, but something came up and now can't. Hopefully next year I will be able to go. It will be much closer- in Philly.

Thanks so much, Shanika! The bottom right has pale lavender on the lower bloom petals. Very pretty bloom...bad lighting LOL.

I hate you lost your leaves, but that makes me feel better on losing mine. Some made it and some didn't. I will just keep putting them down until they decide to do something Ha!

Darn...50 leaves and 60+ leaves. Well, I guess I need to go look for some leaves to stick. :) I need to find a good place for them to sit. I just told my husband he needs to go get me another stand. 1 1/2 hour drive one way...UGH!!! Sometimes living rural doesn't pay. (He said no ha, ha...knew he would) We will go before long though :)

Connie

Connie your Noids are beautiful..thank goodness I'm not the only Noid Collector..LOL..

Sonia

I think its funny how the optimara says to check out their website to id the plants, when so many of their plants look so simular, you can't tell one from the other.

Pretty plants, I love when so many are blooming!

tish

Sonia, those are some really pretty noids. Connie, I love yours too!
Shanika, I'm going to the convention because it just about in my backyard. LOL!!
Thanks everyone!!

Very pretty ladies!

Melanie,what day are you going to the show/sale? Susan and I will be there friday or sat.would love to meet up with you.

Jan

Oh !! That would be so nice!! I plan on being there on Friday. I was told that if I wanted any of the good plants Friday would be the day. The vendors start packing up on Sat....or so I have been told. There is also supposed to be an internet buddies night (not the one providied by AVSA). All the tours are really nice but I live here for gosh sakes, I can go on them anytime. Heck I'll even wear my Dave's Garden Tee shirt!! LOL!! I'll dmail you my cell so you can call me...OK?
Melanie

I am new to this forum, but old timer with AV. Go way back when Mr. Lyndon Lyon had the greenhouses, actually went there as I lived in NY but 5 hours away. Then his daughter and son in law ran the operation and now I see only the SIL's name on the operation.

It was said, that when Lyndon took his plant to Conventions he would buy a ticket for another seat, just to get them there safely.

When I showed in NY, transporting them was a biggy.

Thank you Lillypad22 for your leaves and plants, I am in my glory. They'll make it fine.

Aspen.... your plants are gorgeus. All the others too. Such beautiful new flowers out there
This one has been disbudded and leaves removed. Ready to grow.

Welcome to the AV forum Helene! You will just love it here. Make yourself right at home :)
Lovely AV you have there; does it have a name?
Do you like to grow other plants too? If so, what?
Nice to see you join us and look forward to hearing about your plants etc.

Kim

Melanie where in the world do you find such pretty plants? I look at every store I go into and except for the big box stores that don't label anything I never seen any African Violets. I must need to learn to shop more or in better places lol.

Hi Anna,
I live about 30 minutes north of Raleigh. There is a nursery here called Logans. They have about anything that you could want. From what I understand they get their av plants from Woodhill Greenhouses out of Canada and Bluebirds which is in Apex (about 20 minutes away). When they quit blooming they mark them down....wayyy down!! You need to see the mark down on their orchids (just wish that I could grow them). I got my espisca Strawberry Patches for $1.50. When I have to go and take care of my mother we always go by there. I just love to go to their reduce rack! LOL!! Thank you for asking.

Melanie

oh wow, what a deal you have been getting, would love to see that.lol
mrsbonnie

Thank you for letting me in. No Name. An Orphan. Here on Longboat Key it's vacation country. Snow birds are about to leave. I live year round, so they drop off their plants (all kind) in front of my door and this AV was one of them. blooms a pretty single red. That's fine for now. She got me started to want violets again. Lived in NY and grew for show. Had over 2000 at one time or another Under lights and capillary matting. Won quite few ribbons. Then we started coming to FL part time. DD got sick and couldn't go to the house to water them and that was the end. Also our club disolved. Took me a long time to go into the growing room to clean up. That was more than 15 yrs ago, only now am I thinking Violets again.My Fav ever was Emily Savage. I like wavy leaves...

Lillypad22 was nice enough to send me a few registered leaves and a plant or two.
We know each other from quilting forum. TU.

thought i would post a picture of one of my streps, called king henery, it's really so pretty
mrsbonnie

Melanie, you are so lucky!

Bonnie, GASP!!! Who's strep is that? D.T.? WOW, beautiful :)

Connie

the hybridizer is sherry burchett.she has some beautiful ones.the foliage on this one is really bad. real unruley.but it's worth it.
mrsbonnie

It's gorgeous Bonnie!!
Wow Melanie!! I would love to find things like that here!!

Helene,
Welcome.I'm sorry about what happened in the past,but I'm very happy you are now back to Gessies ^_^. 2000.......wow.

Lynn

Sounds like a good plan Melanie ^_^

Bonnie,your strep is gorgeous!

i would offer to send leaves but this one has to grow some stright leaves first,
mrsbonnie

Meag, you live close to Bluebird. Have you bought from them and if so what do you think of their plants? I have a short wishlist for them;)

Bonnie, gorgeous King Henry! I just divided some babies recently. Hopefully will get blooms soon. Even on my babies, the leaves look floppy- now that you mention it!

I went to Bluebird on my way to Md last July. It was very hot day, but the greenhouse didn't seem as bad as I thought. The plants didn't look good though and she appologized saying it was the weather. I bought a few to give to my aunt...then my aunt didn't show up to pick them up, I took them back to Georgia with me. Well, they did really good, a couple have not stopped blooming. A species Mathers something and Neptune, which she said was vintage.

tish

Connie I would definately love to share leaves with you..you'll just have to tell me step by step how to do it..I have never mailed or sent leaves of AV..

Sonia

Oops, sorry. Yes I have been to Bluebirds. At the time that I went, it was wonderful! such nice people...very helpful.