Happy Faces

Day 319: Viola tricolor goes by a vast number of common names. I either call them Violas or Johnny-Jump-ups, but you might know them as Wild Pansy or Heart's-ease, or more rarely, Heart's Delight, Tickle-my-fancy, Come-and-cuddle-me, and Wikipedia suggests Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me, three faces in a hood, love in idleness, or pink of my john. I can honestly say I've never heard any of the last four, but apparently "love in idleness" occurs several times in Shakespeare. In any event, they're a cute little flower, but in a tended flower bed, they can be a real nuisance. They reseed themselves with a vengeance, and although they're lovely en masse in the spring, the foliage goes brown as soon as hot weather arrives. I don't mind letting these johnnies jump up in my yard, but I desire no love in idleness or pink of anyone's john in my bed!