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The Romance of Lilacs
As winter releases it’s cold and bony grasp, and we look forward to warmth in the presence of May, I most look forward to, above all else, the return of the lilacs. Hundreds of cobs of bloom appear over smooth, gray trunks, signifying both rebirth and renewal. I do not know of any other flower with a scent more powerful or intoxicating. Their trusses make for the most glorious bouquets, and freshly cut lilacs are quickly becoming a much anticipated spring ritual for me. The genus Syringa contains twenty-three recognized species, and I could probably find good reason to grow every single one if I had the room. For it is difficult to choose between flowers that range from the softest of pinks, the bluest of skies, the richest and deepest of purples, or the palest of yellows. As with all lilacs, they can and will grow to produce impressive clumps that resemble a giant mass of stems and twigs. I prefer to single out three to five strong stems and remove the rest making for a more structural plant. I have learned that lilacs prefer my spring cleaning through bouquet-making, as they begin to produce flower buds from late summer through fall. Pruning too late will spoil the show for the following year. For a long-lasting indoor arrangement, pound the ends of the stems with a hammer or rubber mallet, which will improve their ability to take up water. Native to Europe and Asia, the oldest living lilacs in North America are thought to be those at the Governor Wentworth estate in Portsmouth, N.H., believed to have been planted around 1750. This makes me think about the hands of the person who planted them, and the eyes of those who have admired them. In pastures among ruins of homes long abandoned, there still stands lilacs marking the lives of those who shared happiness, sorrow, hope, and despair. I wonder about their adventures, and where they went. And, I wonder if they considered that the lilac they planted would still be standing, some three lifetimes later. 27 comments to The Romance of Lilacs |
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Liisa, I love the scent of lilacs in May and will cut some to bring indoors when I can. Unfortunately, I haven’t had much luck growing them here — probably because I didn’t prepare the soil well enough and it is both too lean and too acid. Seeing your beautiful lilacs inspires me to try to remedy this lack in my garden. -Jean
Such a beautiful flower. I wish we could grow these where I live. But since we can’t, I will just enjoy yours
Beautifully written Liisa! You make me long for ‘lilac time.’ Now that cheers me up… something to look forward to. Gardeners do think towards the future. It is heartwarming to imagine those in the years to come who might enjoy our efforts. Lovely post! Carol
Whenever I think of or see lilacs T.S.Eliot’s lines always come to mind:
“Now that lilacs are in bloom
She has a bowl of lilacs in her room
And twists one in his fingers while she talks.
“Ah, my friend, you do not know, you do not know
What life is, you who hold it in your hands
(Slowly twisting the lilac stalks)
A beautiful flower and oh what a scent
Liisa, lovely post! We too love our lilacs. We have several along our driveway, but one in particular is a dark purple and is situated outside our kitchen. The scent and color are the true sign of a wonderful spring. Diana
Liisa, Lilac was my pick on Nells poll as well. I just love them, we are now getting lilac from Holland for bouquets at the flower shop. There is now a new way of conditioning lilac, tests have been conducted in the floral world, and there is agreement that it is better to cut an x in the base of the stem, instead of crushing them.
A lovely post on those gorgeous lilacs. They are always a special flower for me, commemorating so many birthdays, and anniversaries.
We are lucky to have them grow prolifically here, they must love all the rain.
Jen
Hi Liisa, great post! I adore lilacs and I agree, they are very romantic. My favorite colour is white, but the are all lovely. The sight of blooms and fragrance is so wonderful in the spring. I like their foliage and shape during the rest of the summer too. They are a wonderful addition to any garden. I like your idea of keeping 3-4 stems, something between a treeform and full shrub, and I’ll try to remember the hammer suggestion.
Thank you, Rebecca. So difficult to chose between all of the beautiful colors. I too enjoy their heart-shaped leaves, though they don’t particularly carry much interest beyond spring. Their spring show is so worth it for me.
Jen,
I’m not sure why, but until recently I just assumed lilacs thrived everywhere. I suppose because here they will withstand just about anything, and still flourish. While I sometimes romanticize the thought of living in a warmer climate, I would really miss their spring show.
Deborah,
Thank you so much for the information. I will definitely try this come spring. I bet your flower shop smells amazing with their recent arrival.
Diana,
I would love to plant another right outside my kitchen window. I love the dark purple flowers, especially when mixed with pale yellow. Their arrival truly is the epitome of spring.
Anna,
Ah, ‘Portrait of a Lady’ is a lovely poem. Thank you for sharing this. I so look forward to their scent…
Carol,
So true, I hope that the lilacs I have planted will long be admired. All of this talk of spring has started a severe case of spring fever…
Noelle,
Come spring there is a lovely Lilac Walk at a farm in central Vermont. It is amazingly beautiful. Last year I attempted some photos, but it was rather windy that day, making for poor photo opportunities. I hope to capture its magic better this year.
Jean,
I was looking in one of my catalogs, and found that Syringa prestoniae varieties are extra vigorous, disease-resistant, and fast growing when young. Maybe this would do better for you than the French Hybrids? I have heard that these Preston lilacs are rather remarkable.
Most lilacs don’t do well in my southern climate, but that is a grief to me. I have fallen in love with the ones I have seen. The fragrance is heavenly. My vote was for pink roses, but put those roses with lilac, and the romance will be twice as strong!
There is something so intoxicating about lilacs after a spring rain…
Kate,
So true! I so look forward to filling the house with their heady scent.
Deb,
Roses are certainly romantic, and all the more lovely when paired with lilacs. I am partial to roses in shades of peach, purple and yellow, though pink is lovely and offers so many color variations.
Liisa, I’m a huge fan of lilacs and luved every word of this post. I struggle with knowing which stems to remove and which to leave. When it comes to pruning, I’m careful to never prune later than two weeks after blooming, but still I have a couple bushes that never flower. But the bushes that produce flowers make me very happy.
Nice to find another zone 4 gardener. Thank you for leaving a comment on my blog. I’ve never been to VT, but think of it as being one big botanical garden.
donna
I posted on Nell Jean’s post that this is the flower I most think of when I think of romance. I love love love these! I grew up in Maine so we had a bunch there. But also lived in Germany and the whole city was perfumed with these when they bloomed in May. Lilacs are the one thing we cannot grow well here in the south and I do miss them. They grow, but nothing like in the north and the scent is just not the same. So lovely~!
Tina,
I love when the smell of a certain flower can take us back to another time or place. Lucky you to have lived in Germany, and how wonderful to have the scent of lilacs lingering throughout the city each spring. I wish I could bottle up their fragrance for you and mail it to Tennessee!!
Donna,
I spend a good chunk of time studying the branches before I select which to keep. I have read stories from some folks that have found that their lilacs just won’t bloom. Perhaps they are not getting enough sun? Also, I have learned that you should prune no later than July 1st. I hope you have better luck this spring. I so enjoy meeting gardeners in similar climates, and hope to see you here again soon!
I wrote about lilacs again today. They’re one of the best flower memories of my childhood.
They would not thrive and bloom here because of a lack of enough cold — I guess that wouldn’t be a problem at Donna’s place.
Hi Liisa – how clever to use “critters” in your rainbow post. Very enjoyable-Think Spring! (I say this to myself, frequently as we await spring)
Gloria,
The critters of spring are as enjoyable to me as the flowers. They make the garden come alive with activity, and I am thankful for their visits. I too look forward to spring, though we had a few inches of fresh snow yesterday, which added some much needed magic to the landscape.