What do they look like?

What color are they, and do they grow from leaves that all come from the ground, like dandilion leaves do, or do they grow up along a stem? Are the leaves heart shaped?

I'm curious, because I didn't think sweet or fragrant violets were winter hardy that far North.

As far as eliminating violets from a lawn, I did spot some threads on that posted long ago--somewhere on thread pages 11 through 13, I think.

We have quite a few little purple violets in our lawn that are typical to our area, and I would, personally, never give them up--they look lovely in early spring, when the grass is at its worst. After my husband mows the lawn, you can hardly see where they are.

You might try reseeding your lawn a bit with some grass seed especially for shade, if it has become a more shaded area over time. Violets like partial shade, and possibly are competing with a variety of grass that can't compete.

For more desperate measures, the old threads might be helpful to you. ;o)