Bird's Foot Violet (Viola pedata)

It's a wonderful surprise to stumble upon a colony of bird's foot violet during a spring hike. These showy plants typically grow in sites that are too harsh for other wildflowers that prefer to be more "pampered". Dry, rocky, sunny slopes are their preferred habitat, and they can be pretty stubborn about what conditions they'll tolerate. They require very well-drained soil, so don't plant them in a flower bed with rich soil that will be watered every day, or they will rot.