~ Forever grateful to the very first house African Violet potted plant on my bedroom’s windowsill. The simple addition of green, velvety leaves and purple flowers soared my heart and spirits as a child. That live addition of another living being in my bedroom prompted further planting and care for plants.
It must have been in elementary school when the obsession with violets took over our apartment’s windowsills.
Here is a secret I never told anyone yet. Oh gosh, here I go…In my very limited spare time from gymnastics and schooling, might have been Sundays, I would walk under people’s windows in search of unwanted discarded plant leaves. The neighbors would throw away overgrown leafage away via window portals. The extra plant leaves would land on the sidewalks, and here I was picking them up. Sometimes, I would look up to imagine where they landed from and people were looking right back at me. Then, I would run away, embarrassed. Really, in my inner world, I was considering this as finding treasures. Rooting them was not an issue at all and in no time, one leaf would multiply in so many.
There was a time when we did not have any more space for any more African violets. So I moved on to our balcony. Thank Goodness my parents never objected.
Nowadays, I figure it is a colorful and easily managed houseplant for anyone in their early gardening startup. These flowers also make a wonderful gift. Hint, hint. Lol.
Friends, what are your earliest memories of your first homegrown plants? I would love to know. Please share with me what was the initial plant that made you super happy.
Have a very green day, my dear friends.
Luda@PlantsandBeyond🌿
The images listed here do not belong to Luda @PlantsandBeyond.com
©PlantsandBeyond.com 🌱
Oh I love them! They have the leaves but also the flowers so velvety 🌸 My first homegrown plant was a geranium 😊 I liked them because were quite easy to grow and maintain.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ha! It is easy to maintain, and brings so much color . Thank you, Popsiclesociety for your comment
LikeLiked by 1 person
You did get started early! I also love African violets, but my first try with one wasn’t very successful. I remember that my paternal grandmother won many prizes through her local Garden Club for her African violets. My first outdoor plants that grew well were rhubarb and day lilies, and I sometimes wonder if they’re still growing in that yard I left behind in Mio, Michigan. As for houseplants, a Christmas cactus that a student gave me in my first year of teaching kindergarten grew well and eventually evolved into many strong plants.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ahh, so interesting – now I, too, want to know if it the day Lilies are still growing there. Love your story, Becky
LikeLiked by 1 person
You discovered your love for flowers very early in life, Luda. No wonder you have such a magical relationship with everything that grows either in pots, planters or garden.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you, Peter. There is so sweet of you. What about you ? When did you begin growing plants ?
LikeLike
Beautifullll Luda….Happy New Year and best wishes to you and your family 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hiii Sophie ! Happy holidays, dear friend !
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never kept houseplants when we first lived in a flat, though a few years after we were married we ”inherited” a few cacti.
However we were asked to look after a friends houseplant which turned out to be a beautiful specimen of marijuana!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Really ? Hahaha – did you ever try it? Wow – now you can propagate it in your beautiful yard
LikeLike
Was a long time ago when I was newly married living in a flat.
No, I didn’t try it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😆☀️😆☀️😆
LikeLike
I love the African Violet such a beautiful plant to adorn the home. The first plant I grew indoors were minature roses on my bedroom windowsill. Then an umbrella plant and a large cactus, a favourite cacti was the Easter Cactus and the flowers.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Wooooow, Nanette – min. Roses ?!!! Amazing. And umbrella plant – didn’t know you can grow it inside – so cool . I have one right outside. Very nice share – thank you !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your welcome in UK the Umbrella plant has to grow indoors climate is not good enough to survive the winter.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your welcome in UK the Umbrella plant has to grow indoors climate is not good enough to survive the winter.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow / that’s true
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such lovely flowers, plants and photos. I am hard-pressed to answer the question but it was probably my mother’s indoor plants that were my first. I used to pick bouquets outdoors and loved the smell of Lily of the Valley. Thanks for an enjoyable post.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Oh oh oh – that would be my favorite smell! Such gentle beauties/ wow , Maryanna – you brought me back to childhood memories 🙂 and now I purchase lily of the valley soaps ;)🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
LikeLiked by 2 people
How very lovely. My mother’s birthday month was May and her wedding corsage contained fresh gardenias, also one of my favorites. I use such soaps in my clothing drawers. Thanks for the lovely comments.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🌿🤗✨💖✨🤗🌿
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. My pleasure. ^__^
LikeLiked by 1 person
😄😄 I didn’t know we could plant leaves!
I never had a plant but I wish I did
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s how they proliferate – one of the methods ;)🤗🌿☀️🤗
LikeLike
Okkkk! 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
The first plant I ever got to root on my own was Ivy. Sadly, I can still root Ivy but, it won’t grow for me…in a pot, in the house, outside, in the ground…just nope.
LikeLiked by 2 people
What if you buy a fresh new Ivy plant, instead of rooting?
LikeLike
They die. They just don’t like me. Heh.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hmmm. Then get a different climber plant 🙂
LikeLike
I’ve got a vine plant that has been going strong for nearly six years, now. The leaves are dark green, waxy & teardrop shaped. It’s beautiful, hardy and makes me smile.
I still love Ivy even if won’t love me back. ☹
LikeLiked by 2 people
The vine that you have currently sparks joy in your being and soul. That is all that matters. It loves you and receives love from you back. Wonderful bond.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Boy I had plants around so much it’s hard to remember the first – but I think maybe a cactus when I was a little kid?? I also got a poinsettia when I was pretty little (I killed it pretty quick… 😦 ) Love the African violets 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Awww, that is so cool. Cactus and poinsettia. Lovely memories, M.B. Henry 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those flowers are beautiful! I think the first plant I really tried hard to grow was a watermelon. I planted several, but only one plant survived and it produced only one watermelon….which I picked before it was ripe!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh my, what a great experience. Really? Watermelon… wow. I was dreaming of growing it as a child 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
My mother had a passion for African Violets and passed that on to me. I read somewhere that they love the calcium in eggshells which supposedly promotes blooms. I recently added some crushed eggshells to my plants’ soil to see if this makes any difference.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Super interetsing. Pls let me know how it turns out and if the blooms get bigger. Great tip, Nancy. Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are simply beautiful, and I love the story of you collecting leaves! I have not had african violets since my first house 23 years ago, and this post has made me determined to go by some more!
LikeLiked by 2 people
OH my goodness. So nice to hear this. Yay. Let me know what color you will select 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful !!
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I was a child I was asked to water the flowering plants like hibiscus, jasmine, dahlia, etc., every flower bloomed in those plants made me happy the whole day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So exautic. Wow. I never seen such plants til I came to US. Happy you enjoyed these beauties as a child.
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are the commonly grown plants, we could find these almost in every garden here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, so interesting, Glad they made it all the way here
LikeLiked by 1 person
my first was an orange plant that I kept in my office. When I went on holiday the guys stuck a little kumquat on it and I came back ever so excited to see it was fruiting until I realised what they had done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, that is so cool. Who would have thought to have citrus plant in the house. esp as a first tree/plant. Way too amazing.
LikeLike
hi there, it was the peace lilly ,it was the first plant i had that always forgave me when i forgot to water her. kindest regards bg 🙂😎🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ah, such a great connection you had with that plant. Thank you so much for sharing. Super interesting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love every type of violet and the winter ones are never missing from my windows from autumn to spring🌺
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Ortensia. Happy to hear that. I bet they bring lots of joy sparkles to you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are peculiar flowers ,my mom has a type whose petals are thick and feel like velvet 😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful! I can’t keep plants alive. Perhaps one day I will try again but I swear the commit suicide in the car on the way to my home! My mom’s green thumb did not reach me genetically.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, Lisa. Sounds sad, but is it really so? Will help you pick a healthy plant next time you want one 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Deal! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
African violets converted me! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha – so funny – thanks, Sunshiny🌿🙏🏼💖🙏🏼🌿
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now im trying to grow a litchi tree. Praying the seeds take.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow – ambitious project but promises sweet results 😉
LikeLike
Bought a cacti when I was about 6 or 7 had it for over 50 years. My collection grew, sadly after Mrs H got stabbed several times when dusting they had to go! So just the garden now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, 50 years ! Must have been huge ☺️ garden sounds gentler on the fingers 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
So beautiful, your photos brighten up my days ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
And your kind comment brightens my day 🤗☀️💖☀️🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for your like of my post, ” Israel 5 – Exodus 3;” please keep up your own good blog work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much!!!
LikeLike
Welcome 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on scribeforlove.wordpress.com and commented:
A RE-BLOG POST – By PlantsandBeyond.
Welcome to my Monday Re-Blog Post by our ever creative Luda always putting a broad smile on my face for her awesome colorful ideas. Bravo to your success!
LikeLike