Below is a recommendation provided by another Master Gardener that is applicable to your situation. Violets invading lawns is a rather common problem. As long as you have violets near your lawn you will risk them invading the turf. The rhizomatous habit of violets makes them difficult to eliminate once they get established. Digging them up is effective but difficult. You may want to try a herbicide. The best time to go after violets with an herbicide is in the fall. Look for an herbicide that lists violets and contains Tryclopyr (this is probably the active ingredient of choice for chemically eliminating this turf intruder). The waxy cuticle on the violet's leaves can keep the plant from up-taking the herbicide so it would be helpful to use a sticker spreader with the herbicide (you can also break up the cuticle by walking on the plants prior to application). If you decide to use an herbicide please READ THE LABEL. Whether you use an herbicide or dig them out you will probably need to do it more than once. Persistence is the key. Remember that any herbicide can drift when sprayed. Be sure to shield any neighboring plants in the garden area to prevent unintentional damage to them. Spray on a calm day. The following links may be of some help (you may need to scroll down a bit to find the violet info): http://urbanext.illinois.edu/lawntalk/managing_ground_ivy_and_violets.cfm http://ohioline.osu.edu/agf-fact/0402.html http://extension.udel.edu/factsheet/weed-control-in-turf/ Hope this helps. -Kathie M. Advanced Master Gardener