Library of Articles

Articles on growing and exhibiting:

• "Episcias: Lovely Plants with Lovely Leaves"  From VioletsFun issue #8

• "Discovering Streptocarpus"  A lecture originally presented at the 1998 African Violet Society of America Convention Show in Sacramento, California.  Appears in VioletsFun issue #7.

• "Fine Tuning Your Showplants"  An article that originally appeared in the Empire Violet Magazine, in September, 1990.  It has been rewritten, appearing in VioletsFun #6, and reflects our growing environment in 1990.

• "Provide 'Living Shade' For Your Plants"  First appeared as an original article in VioletsFun issue #7.  Reprinted in numerous other publications.

• "Some Suggestions for Keeping Miniature Violets Miniature"  Originally appeared in the Empire Violet Magazine, in March, 1987.  Since repeated in numerous other publications, including VioletsFun #4.  The subject might be a bit dated, given the quality of today's hybrids, but the cultural advice contained in the article is timeless.

• "Some Notes on Trailing African Violets"  Notes from a lecture originally presented at the Mid-Atlantic AVS Convention Show, November 1996.  Reprinted in numerous other publications. Appears in VioletsFun issue #12.

• "Knowing Your Violets: Basic Flower Types"  Knowing the terms that hybridizers use, and learning the characteristics of different flower types can help us in selecting violets.  From VioletsFun issue #2.

• "Natural Planting Made Easy"  Basics in miniature landscapes made on natural materials.  Excerpted from workshops presented in spring of 1998 by Olive

---

The Best of "Violets Fun":  A compilation of some of our favorite essays on the hobby and the growing "experience", written by Rob or Olive and reprinted here.

• "About Us... A Fairy Tale"  Can two "plant nuts" meet and live happily every after?  The true story (in a "nutshell").
• "It's Hot in Here!"  When your greenhouse becomes a "hot" house. 
• "Of Mice (and more) and Men"  Trying to live with nature's little creatures.
• "More Tales of Mice and Men"  An update.
• "The Joy of Watering"  True happiness found among the plants (our favorite essay). 
• "Good Help is Hard to Find"  Everyone loves plants, but do they love the work?
• "Help! (gasp)...I need (ack)...Water!"  When we should water isn't always when we do.
• "Things that Hop...and Things that Slither" Amphibians (and reptiles) at the Violet Barn.
• "Violets as House Plants"  Not every plant is a showplant, nor should be.