Despite being a Canadian, I’m not a fan of snow or the cold weather unless I’m looking outside a window with a cup of hot chocolate or a caramel latte in my hands. 😉
Before we know it, spring will be here. I can hardly wait! Can you?
Spring spells more rain, but I actually like carrying an umbrella. You know those clear, domed ones? Those are the kind I like, but haven’t been able to find an affordable one yet. And I’ve been tempted to buy a frog umbrella – the green ones that have the ears sticking up.
And when I think about spring, I can’t help but think about lilacs. They’re by far my favourite flowers because they smell heavenly and they have clusters of tiny flowers!
What are your favourite flowers?
It’s such a shame that lilacs don’t last very long in the spring, but perhaps that’s a reminder for us all to appreciate the good things while they are here. 😉
In today’s Smorgasbord Sundays post, I’ll share with you some photos of lilacs as well as interesting information about them.
There are a myriad of different lilac colours and hybrids. Some are solid, others have contrasting outlines, and there are even ones that have serrated edges!
Although I love the look of all of them, my absolute favourite is the classic solid-light-purple variety. I also think that it smells the best.
Here are some lovely photos of my favourite kind of lilacs:
(I’m not big on wearing perfume that’s heavy on the floral notes, but if I ever find one that smells like authentic lilacs, I may go temporarily insane!
(When I found the Slatkin & Co. Lilac Blossom Candle, I went head over heels because the scent is true-to-life.)
This one’s a variation of the lilacs I like. You’ll notice that the petals are curled.
(Some Interesting Things I Read About Lilacs from Wikipedia & Various Sources:
- Lilacs symbolize love. (Hmm, I always thought roses were associated with that more and that lilacs symbolized puppy love.)
- Syringa vulgaris (the Latin name for the common lilac) is New Hampshire’s state flower. It’s “symbolic of that hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State.”
- They can grow from 6′ 7″ to 32′ 10″ tall!
- Each flower is just 5 to 10 mm in diameter.
- Some species of Lepidoptera larvae like the Copper Underwing and Scalloped Oak eat lilacs
- Some lilacs have yellow blooms. (I’ve never seen these before. Have you?)
- If you want to successful grow lilacs, make sure they have full sun and that the soil is neutral and rich with high organic matter.
- Once lilac blooms wilt, immediately remove them because this will encourage more blooms in the following year.
What are your favourite flowers? Do you buy fresh-cut flowers, or do you prefer potted ones? Will you be doing any gardening this spring?
Hope you all are having a wonderful Sunday so far! 🙂
Lilacs are my favorite too! We had a ton of shrubs that lined our backyard growing up. My favorite was the very last shrub at the back of the yard and it bloomed later then the others. it had darker purple, double flowers. I loved that they were so different then all the others!
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Hey Erin S.!
Ohhh…a ton of shrubs all lined up? I bet walking past them was like heaven on earth!
Trust Mary to get my google going on a sunday morning 😛
The lilacs are lovely, but my favourites will always be carnations. I prefer pink and white, but never let it be said that I wouldn’t take any color that came along. They always have such a light, fresh scent and last a long time.
Hurry up spring!
Hey karen!
Hehe, and you know that I love getting your Google going! 😉
Ah, yes – carnations! They were my father’s favourite flowers, and he’d buy them for my mom for every wedding anniversary. 🙂 I have such happy memories tied to carnations.
I adore lilacs; my parent’s have two bushes in their yard & gave me some cuttings for mine. I am hoping to have some blooms this year!
I was SO disappointed when BB&W discontinued their Lilac scent many years ago… the smell was wonderful.
Hey karigold!
I’m also hoping that it blooms for you! 🙂 Lilacs just have a scent that transports you to another place – a happier place…that smells good! 😉
Oh, did Bath & Body Works have more lilac products other than the scented candle? WHAT? I missed out?
I grew up with lilac trees in my yard, so the scent of lilacs just says “home” to me. 🙂 We had purple and white ones both, and I loved that the bunches were shaped like butterflies!
Hey CupK8!
Beautiful – what a perfect description. I never thought of them being shaped like butterflies until you mentioned it! 🙂
Lilacs are beautiful. I love all those different shades of purple in your photos :). I love big, bright flowers like hibiscus and amaryllis, but my all-time favorite is roses, any color. I just love they way they smell, the way they look, and the different meanings each color of rose has. In general, I prefer potted plants to stems in a vase–it’s more enjoyable to take care of a potted or garden plant and watch it bloom and grow.
*the. haha whoops.
Hey Jessica!
Oh, they aren’t my photos. If you click on the links for the image credits, you’ll be taken to the websites where I got them from. 🙂 However, this spring, I’m going to try to take photos of lilacs.
My mom is also the same way – she likes caring for a potted plant than fresh-cut flowers. Also, she prefers how potted flowers usually last longer.
Hi Mary
I was directed here by the lovely Marta at chitchat nails and I wanted to say how cute the nails you did on her guest posting, I also love spring but I love all the seasons, they each have a unique quality I love, my favourite flower is the freesia I love the subtle perfume and the array of colours they come in, I am also a very keen gardener! Look forward to reading more of your blog!
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Hey Jo!
Aww…thank you! I just dropped by and saw the lovely comment you left me on my guest post! 🙂
Thanks for taking the time to come over here, too. I really love interacting with my readers, so the more, the merrier!
These are such pretty flowers!! I’m not really a flower person. I know, I know, not normal for a girl. I think they’re pretty to look at, but I don’t go crazy for them. I do think calalillies are really pretty. So simple.
I’m with you on looking forward to spring. Though I suffer from terrible allergies due to the pollen, I just love the feeling in the air and the beautiful weather.
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Hey Marisa!
Now you’re the second woman I know who isn’t really into flowers. 🙂 It’s okay – you have other interests, and these kind of differences make us unique.
Yes, calalillies are so elegant…like Mother Nature’s sculptures!
I like peonies quite a lot and also more exotic looking flowers like snapdragons and bird of paradise. There’s something to be said for the quiet simplicity of the little bunches of lilacs, though. 🙂
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Hey Claire!
Peonies are so pretty, haha, but the ants love them! I remember the first time I ever saw a peony bud up close when I was a kid. I went to touch it, and then all of a sudden, a whole bunch of ants started crawling on my finger. Creeped me out. 😛 But I still really love the flowers!
Ahhh, yes! Snapdragons, especially the yellow ones, remind me of when I was in daycare. The center had TONS of those flowers. (The name’s cool, too!)
Gah! I have a black thumb so I’m not too familiar with what bugs like what plants. heh That would’ve freaked me out, too!!
Claire recently posted: Lady Gaga Edge of Glory set by Deborah Lippmann
Hahaha! Thank goodness it didn’t scar me for life. 😉 I still really love those flowers. It would be a shame not to enjoy them because of a one-time occurrence with ants. 😛
I love flowers, especially roses.. the big ones 😉 I love how velvety the petals feels and adores the deep red color. Scent whilst, I would choose jasmines!!
Hey Helen Nguyen!
Big, deep-red roses are very romantic. 🙂 A guy I used to date once bought me 12 HUGE blood-red roses for Valentine’s Day – they were so incredible, that I took 7853763673063 photos of them…haha! (I need to find those photos.)
Another fan of the clear dome umbrellas! They are fun and playful but also smart (sharp pointy ends point down instead of directly at people’s faces, on crowded TO sidewalks). I lurve mine 😀 Check near the purse section cash register at the Eaton Centre Sears (Your header graphic makes me think you’re maybe in TO). I think I saw them for less than $20 last spring.
Hey Michelle!
Yeah, I’m in TO! 😀 The next time I swing by Sears, I’ll have to be on the lookout for that umbrella. Thanks for heads up!
I love fresh cut flowers but I always feel bad that having them around means a plant out there is missing its reproductive system and that doesn’t really sit well with me. So I guess you can say I like the idea of potted flowers better except fresh cut flowers look better in vases. Does that even make sense? 😛
I’m not particular to a certain flower but I’ve always loved the look of calla lilies and lilies in general. Love how simple they look. 🙂
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Hey Carmela!
Yes, that makes perfect sense to me. 🙂 My mom is the same way – she prefers potted plants because not only do they last longer, but you can watch them grow. Fresh-cut flowers are beautiful, but you watch them wilt.
Oh Mary! What a perfect topic for this weeks Sunday post 😀
I have to tell you when I saw this post (on this particular Sunday) I teared up… Literally, tears in my eyes.
The day you posted this, is the very first time I visited my grandparent’s gravesite (the last time I was in Poland my grandma and grandpa were still alive). The reason I’m sharing this with you, is because I don’t remember all too much of my grandpa, except for the fact that he would ALWAYS bring me fresh smelling lilacs and everytime I see these lovely scented flowers ( have three lilac trees in my backyard alone) I think of him. I never knew they symbolize love, but that makes them so much more special to me now.
You truly have a way of touching people with your love of life and beauty. Thank you!
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Hey Marta!
I’m sorry to hear about your great loss. But at least the smell of beautiful lilacs bring to mind so many comforting thoughts. 🙂 Thanks for opening up to me and sharing something so personal.