Volunteers

They're called volunteers,  plants that seed themselves in unexpected places. These two are tough! growing in gravel, at the base of a pot. The dark leaves are a labrador violet, a great plant for the shade. It's an evergreen perennial, which means it keeps its leaves all year. And they are beautiful, a deep shade of green, almost black. Violet flowers smell fantastic and are lighting up the shade on this cold spring day.

Its friend is a forget-me-not, an annual (grows, blooms, sets seed and dies all in one year. Maybe less) with stunning true blue flowers. Both are great in shade, not happy in sun.

Could these two have picked a more difficult place to grow? I'm guessing the mow blow and go guys blew the seed under the pot - it was the only safe place in the garden. Wonder where they will come up next?