I have developed a kind of silly and pointless –but definitely OCD– habit lately.
Whenever I see a Johnny Jump-Up or a pansy, I can't help myself: I shuffle through the plant, especially if it's particularly leggy, and take the seed pods (not just the ones on the beautiful picture, but the still-green ones that look about to burst as well).
I scout pretty front yards –featuring Violas, natch– where the gardeners are not completely anal and haven't pulled up their happy little blooms yet*, and then go to town like a vole amongst the roses.
I am aware that the next logical step in this progression is that I'll acquire more cats, talk to myself, accumulate a fearsome collection of lace and start wearing baggy sundresses. Since I already talk to myself out loud, perhaps I really shouldn't have disclosed my seed-stealing habits. However,I just cannot help myself; even if I know I'm picking the seeds from hybrids and that possibly 90% of my collected seed is going to turn out crummy, there is still some source of odd, syrupy delight in sticking my hand in other people's Violas and dig for those little pregnant-bellied treasures.
I guess we all like the thrill of the chase.
And of course, if the seeds should sprout, you will get more seedling photography than you'll ever know what to do with it.
Oh man. It's going to be AWESOME.
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*I realize that pansies and Johnny Jump-Ups fade in the summer heat and it's aesthetically pleasing to pull them up and replace them with a summer-hardy annual. But only the truly cruel can look upon those happy little faces while they are still in the peak of their bloom and immediately think, "Compost pile!"
But that's just me.
A Daily Dose of Zen Sarcasm! 
I look forward to seeing sprouts 🙂
Compost pile? COMPOST PILE!
I will admit that while I’ve been doing more and more recycling lately I just can not do a compost pile. The thought of it just disgusts me… did I mention that people claim I have OCD when it comes to washing my hands? Seriously, they crack and bleed in the winter. I can’t handle touching a garbage can because it’s dirty. Nope, not getting a compost pile any time soon… or ever.
The landscaping team just pulled out all the pansies in front of our building for some very weak begonias. It does not look good right now.
Here from NaComLeavMo
Had a friend who walked with manicure scissors in his pocket to steal cuttings!
Have a marvelous weekend.
I once overheard two passersby commenting on my rosebush out the front. I had let the rosehips remain and they were planning on coming back to harvest them for making tea. We also had a landlord at the time who would randomly be seen in our backyard, helping himself to lemons from the tree. So I don’t think a few seed pods here and there constitutes much of a crime.
As for compost… we have three large bays on the go at any one time. Love it. And so does the garden.
Here from NCLM, by the way, in case you were wondering why a complete stranger just launched into this story. Oh yes, I also wanted to say how much I admire your blog page.
I’m here from NCLM, too. I love the idea of your vigilante seed-gathering. I just may start doing the same, possibly under cover of darkness. I don’t think there’s really anything wrong with it, I just don’t want to get chased down the street by some angry fellow gardener.
And what’s wrong with a baggy sundress? Bring ’em on, I say!
yes it would be cruel to pull those pretty wee flowers… how could anyone do that?
I’d like to avoid the fearsome collection of lace, but other than that it sounds good to me!
ok, so i’m not really a girl with a green thumb, but i bought my first plant yesterday. yes, one i can care for all by myself! anyhoos…it’s catnip. yes, it’s for the kitties because my life revolves around them now (or so they think…)
Thanks for visiting my blog!
I laughed at your post, as I am also a pod picker… but only on my own plants, ha.
It help the plant flower longer and I like to experiment with growing out the seeds. I’ve found that my seed grown pansies started indoors in January and seeds deposited on the top of the pot they happen to be growing in (and left there all winter) bloom about the same time, so now I take the easier route. Some are like the original, and some like the parent plants, but so far all are pretty. 🙂
Pansies are one of my favorite flowers! I did not know, however, that they had seed pods. Very interesting!