Is there any flower that more represents the glory of spring? Certainly not in my mind.
Some six of seven years ago, I planted eleven lilac bushes down the side of my back yard in an attempt to keep the deer from coming over the fence. They didn’t keep the deer out, but the lilacs have now matured into a little slice of heaven on earth.
On a warm spring day, their fragrance hangs heavy in the air.
I usually leave my bouquets once arranged, on the screened-in porch. The cooler nights and moist air helps the blossoms to survive longer, especially for lilacs, that are prone to suddenly wilt when cut.
The best bloomers in this row is the ‘Annabel’ variety which makes up the majority of my arrangements.
The ‘Sensation’ variety is the most exotic in the row, and so far not a prolific bloomer, making each bloom more special.
And this might be the first time the ‘Angel White’ variety has bloomed, or at least the first time I have cut the blooms.
Words really don’t do justice for the combined beauty and fragrance of lilacs, and every yard show have a bush or two just for the wonder they create.
Some would argue that the peony is the glory of spring, and I do love them. But they flop their lovely heads when it rains, and drop their petals very soon after cutting. I think God outdid Himself when he created the lilac, and very little else compares when it comes to beauty, fragrance, and long lasting blooms.
If only a photo could capture the fragrance.
Even without the benefit of scent when viewed online, the lilacs make a spectacular display, Cindy. If I had any hope whatsoever of growing them, I’d have planted a shrub or two here too (before the drought became a persistent issue anyway). My local botanic garden grows a variety supposedly suited to warm winter settings but frankly it’s not all that impressive and its scent doesn’t amount to much. Our California native Ceanothus are called “California lilacs” but my nose has never detected much scent and the flowers aren’t as graceful in appearance.
I hope your lilac blooms mean that spring has well and truly arrived in your part of the country!
Although you can grow a hundred times more things than I can and year round, some climates have their limits. I think after traveling out west, as beautiful as it is in California, I don’t think I could part with some of my favorite plants we can grow and you can’t. I like succulents and cactus, but I couldn’t garden if that was my main stay. I suppose to get all the greenery we have, we have to put up with all the humidity you don’t have. There are always trade offs for every climate. Maybe England has the most perfect climate, but neither of us live there. So we make the best with what we have, and right now I am enjoying the lush greenery and smells that all the rain gives us. It seems to be raining every couple days this spring. Today is an all day rain, and likely tomorrow too.
They are really beautiful Cindy, and your photos are a delight! I have a few small lilac shrubs, growing slowly but surely, and can’t wait to have enough to pick! Mine are not in flower yet, so you have overtaken us already! 😉 Have a great week and a lovely May. 🤗
I bought the largest bushes I could afford since I am impatient and not willing to wait for them to mature, especially when it comes to lilacs. It was worth the splurge as now, some of them are at least 20′ tall. They cover the majority of the fence and give the yard a feeling of privacy from all the other neighbors. If I have to live in the city, at least I can escape the eyes of my neighbors. I wish I had the luxury of all the land you have.
We’ve had a cool spring with lots of rain, so things are marching along at a good clip once they got going. May is a fast and furious month here and really the height and most beautiful time of my perennial beds. It is my favorite month in the garden.
Sometimes I think the heat buildup of the city pushes plants along more quickly because we certainly were behind you at the start.
Hi Cindy, yes, you’re so right – lilac is truly heralding spring. I like your varieties and how you’ve displayed them. I love lilac in the vase but sadly it doesn’t keep very long. On Country Life Vlog on YT they made lilac sirop the other day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th3Vp5ljb-c Hope all is well with you. Have a nice weekend, Annette
That was a beautiful video Annette. So sweet, relaxing, and peaceful. Lots of work, but I can’t help but think they enjoyed their lives more than we do today. Thank you for sharing.
Happy weekend.