Violets
Flowers of mythology, magic, and invasion of lawns
Violets are my favorite flowers, not least because they bloom near my birthday. While they are the February flower, here in South Carolina, they bloom in early March. My favorite color is also purple. They look like tiny orchids, both the deep purple ones and the white (Confederate!) ones.
While their mythological roots, ironically, coming from blood and bruises in Greek myths, they often symbolize humility, purity and love. They were often used in bouquets, and were sent by Napoleon to Josephine as she loved them.
One thing I particularly like is that they will grow anywhere. For such a lovely wildflower, there is actually an herbicide specifically to kill them. This is silly, as the leaves, flowers, and roots are edible, one of the earliest greens available, along with dandelions.
Elegant decorations for cakes can be made by sugaring violet flowers (dipping them in egg white and then in sugar). Tea can be made from them as well, or they can be put in salads, assuming they have not been sprayed with herbicide or insecticide.
Look for them in your lawn, along the roadside or in the edges of the woods.