Flower flats bring flood of memories

I made the mistake of pushing my cart through the newly-opened garden department of a nearby store. Most of it was bare but tucked into a corner were tiny blue and yellow flowers. I touched the soft petals and was instantly lost in a memory.

We used to call those plants Johnny Jump Ups and every year we lived at the little house the plants would overflow the silver tractor tire on the corner. Some years they would escape the tire and pop up in unexpected places.

I have always resisted pansies, as they tend to wilt once the weather warms. My mom loved pansies and Johnny Jump Ups look like miniature pansies. I left the plants in the store.

A week later six of the little violas adopted me. This time they didn’t take no for an answer. They are now sitting happily on the edge of the driveway. I have no idea where they will end up as I have no silver tractor tires in my yard, and I don’t want one either.

The plants are known by many names; Viola tricolor, heart's ease, heart's delight, tickle-my-fancy, Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me, come-and-cuddle-me, three faces in a hood, or love-in-idleness, as well as simply wild pansy. For me, they will always be Johnny Jump Ups and will always evoke memories of my mom.

I have tried without success to find where the name originated. While searching for that information I discovered an old Irish drinking song about a drink called Johnny Jump Up. Apparently it was a potent hard cider that left one with a ferocious hangover.

The plant has had many uses throughout the ages. At one time or another it has been used to treat conditions as varied as epilepsy, asthma, skin diseases, bronchitis, whooping cough, rheumatism and cystitis. Oh, and of course, it has been used in love potions. I have no idea if any of these remedies were effective, and don’t intend to try them.

I also didn’t know they were edible. Again, I am not going to test this by nibbling on one of the tiny blossoms.

Johnny Jump Ups are one of the early spring flowers as they love the cool, rainy weather that is typical this time of year. Although they are listed as a short lived perennial, most people treat them as annuals. The ones my mom had would reseed so prolifically that they acted like perennials and came up every year around Easter or maybe a little later.

It seems that I have spent much of my adult life trying to recreate the flower-filled oasis of my youth. Of course, that oasis exists only in my mind and never was, or will be real.

Memory is a strange thing. A flat of flowers can transport me back to happier times. All the unhappy times and any current worries evaporate when I am surrounded by the upturned faces of familiar flowers. The bright colors and sweet scents meant to attract pollinators attract me as well.

What reminds you of your loved ones? Crossword puzzles and baseball on the radio remind me of my grandmother while my grandfather will always be associated with Mail Pouch tobacco. The things that trigger your own happy memories are as unique as you and your loved ones are. For me, Johnny Jump Ups will always remind me of my mom. Now, where should I plant them?