Add the violet petals to a heat-proof bowl and pour over 1 cup of boiling water. Swish the flowers around to make sure they’re submerged and let the mixture steep at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. Place a fine mesh strainer over another bowl and strain out the petals, pressing or squeezing them to extract as much liquid as possible. Add the violet liquid back to the heat-proof bowl.

Bring a 1 to 2 inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan and set the bowl with the violet liquid on top of the pan. Make sure the boiling water isn’t directly touching the bowl. Add in the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 to 7 minutes. Make sure the syrup doesn’t reach a simmer so the color stays vibrant. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice. If you want the color to be more purple, stir in the other 1/4 teaspoon. Transfer the syrup to a clean glass bottle or jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.