Violets of Toulouse

Toulouse is famous for its violets - you can find them chrystalised as gifts in every tourist shop of the area (they're delicious). The Toulouse violet is a special type, with a double flower. I bought some and planted them a few years ago, but the area where I put them turned out to be on top of our water pipe, and when it sprang a leak the famous violets were sacrificed to the neighbours' mini-digger!

No matter, as I prefer the single, wild flowers, which are bursting into bloom on the trackway down to our town's clay-pit lake. I have a few in the garden, but nothing beats finding them blooming by the side of the path, unless it's finding some more unusual white ones further along:

I snapped some photos with my phone (still trying to get used to the concept of a thing I can carry in my pocket which does more than make calls). Raja and I were the only people there to appreciate them on a very windy day - but I imagine they are much appreciated by everyone who walks along there.

I found a very informative blog article, in English, on the Toulouse violet industry here - I shall be back to visit Vanessa at her La Lune blog again, now I've found her on my search for articles about violets!