Farmer's Almanac Weather Prediction for Ontario: "Snow, possibly heavy."
In the past I've been excited about my success with African violets (Saintpaulia)... but never as I am right now. I have six plants of different varieties and at present ever single one is blooming. This is particularly exciting because two of these plants haven't bloomed since I purchased them years ago. The oldest has light green leaves that are rounder  then you're average African violet. The plant divides very easily and as a result I have given away a fair number of offspring all the while having no memory of the flower colour. The other plant has variegated foliage (white edging) and purple flowers that are much larger and wider than the typical variety. I'm contributing my new success to the placement of the plants. As I mentioned a few entries back, I have a new house plant set up in which the plants have been grouped according to climatic needs. The dry plants in one room, the humid loving plants in the other.
 African violets are beautiful. In my first year of University I had one that did very well in the extreme heat of my crappy dorm room. At the time it wasn't the beauty of the plant that sparked my interest, but the sweet victory and sense of achievement I derived from producing such a gorgeous specimen. Many years and plants later, I still grow African violets for that same reason--I have a knack for it. In the last few years my motivation has changed. On my first visit to Canada Blooms a few years ago, I saw a lovely display of unusual varieties I had never seen before. I was used to the standard types that can be bought at Woolworth's or the local market--the kinds that dainty ladies with white gloves place on top of crocheted doilies and lace table runners. At Canada Blooms I saw plants with variegated leaves, ruffled foliage and flowers, and even miniature plants that never grow more than a few inches tall. The miniatures are my favourite because they look wild and less altered.
 Now when I look at an African violet I see the shimmer on the petals that light up and sparkle in the sunlight, the tiny hairs that line the flower stems or the round buds that look like a hand holding a ball with fingers extended. I love how some varieties have a reddish hue on the underside of the leaves, and how the veins are really protruded like the veins in my feet when it rains. I like that I can count on at least one of my plants to bloom exactly when I need it most--during the winter when the other plants are taking their break and I really need to see some colour.
 I'm not planning on joining a Gesneriad society anytime soon, but as a result of my growing appreciation I am becoming less inclined to just give my African violets away like loose change when I need the space to fit another new exotic succulent or alien-likeair plant.
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