The Lilac Presence

The Lilac Presence

Purple is a color that cannot be ignored. At least not in nature. I see purple tulips in people’s yards, purple buds on flowering plum trees, purple outlining pansies. It is a dramatic color. And nothing is more dramatic in my Spring garden than the lilac bush. It insists I pay attention to it. It has an intense presence that calls me to come and admire it. And admire it I do, knowing that this will only last two to three weeks before the blossoms fall and all I will see will be green leaves.

But lilacs are just as famous for their scent as their color. The early buds are tight, withholding their smell until the flowers open. Then they release their heady fragrance, filling the air like the perfume sprayers at department stores. It is an imitated scent in perfumes, candles, oils.

Yet, as with most things, lilacs vary. The deep purple is only one of its shades. They can be lighter purple, pinkish, sky blue, sometimes yellow or white. And the scent varies depending upon the stage of blossoming, the time of day, and the kind of lilac; there are dozens of varieties that can smell sweet or spicy, cloying or calming. The lilac is a harbinger of Spring and also symbolizes first love.

It isn’t necessary to analyze the lilac to value it though. Each type can be appreciated for its own individuality. It kind of reminds me of babies; they all belong to a specific category, that of baby, but each one immediately exhibits its own personality, preferences, and energy, and every child has a presence from the moment of her/his birth. I find it refreshing that no two of anything is exactly alike – not people, not birds, not animals, not flowers, not even lilacs.

What to know if you want to plant lilacs:

http://www.ehow.com/info_8713963_lilac-smell-like.html

And more about lilacs:

http://flowerstracy.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-common-knowledge-about-beautiful.html

A Touch of Spring

A Touch of Spring

Yesterday was sunny with a hint of warm air. The forecast for today is for 60 degrees. Daylight savings had us setting our clocks ahead to allow more daylight into our day. We are on the cusp of Spring.

The change of seasons will no doubt be welcome though it isn’t something to be taken for grated. I remember the year we had an early April snowstorm. The temperature may be pleasing now, yet we had snow only three days ago. Subtle reminders not to anticipate Mother Nature’s moods.

The female cardinal sits on the branch of a snow-covered bush after last Friday’s snowfall and looks out, waiting, I suppose, for a good nesting opportunity. She likes to build her nest in dense shrubbery or the branches of small trees. The shrubbery hasn’t started to leaf though, and nest protection is rare. That’s probably why I haven’t seen any nests in my backyard yet, though March is traditional nesting time.

I actually like these transitional times, especially winter/spring, which touches my essence. The air is infused with a sense of movement, a shifting of energy, that I find invigorating. Flocks of robins, the time-honored springtime harbingers, are everywhere, creating even more anticipation. The air vibrates with birdsong and mating calls. The crocuses are popping up from their sleep-states to check out the new season. Soon Violets, Lily-of-the-Valley, Lilacs, and Hyacinths will add their fragrances and colors to the scene. Ah, Spring. Time for us all to bloom.

Just the facts:

About seasons -

http://weather-facts.com/seasons-facts.php

About cardinals -

http://www.wild-bird-watching.com/Cardinal.html#sthash.U4Hvg5JC.dpbs

About robins –

http://www.arkive.org/american-robin/turdus-migratorius/

Lilac Time

Lilac Time

Years ago we planted a lilac shrub in front of our house. It slowly grew each summer and put out lovely pale purple blossoms. Now it is large, full and bushy, with a scent that envelops us as we open our front door. The bush is thriving and expanding; we will need to prune it back – again – after the flowering season.

We also planted a lilac bush in our backyard. It was a different variety with darker flowers and a more delicate scent. It grew tall and leggy and did not do as well. The trees that were growing up at the same time provided too much shade for this sun-loving plant. So we dug it up and replanted it in a sunnier location. For two years it reluctantly put out leaves, no flowers, and half of it stopped growing at all. It looked so fragile, almost pathetic. This year, much to our surprise, it bloomed with such incredible vigor on one side that we staked it and each day look out in wonder at the rejuvenation of this beauty, in awe of its will to live.

Two bushes, very different personalities, same family (Syringa vulgaris).  One had an optimal growth situation, the other was forced to deal with a challenge. Yet they both found a way to express themselves in relation to their circumstances. And we love them both.

That’s the joy of diversity. There’s something to admire in every expression of life.

Lilacs can enhance any garden:

http://www.aboutlilacs.com/index.shtml

http://www.backyardgarden.info/lilacs.php

http://blog.gardenharvestsupply.com/2010/03/11/growing-lilac-bushes/