Spring - Lilacs and Lily of the Valley

Spring brings the best smell in the whole world, lilacs and lily of the Valley.

As a child every year I looked forward to the lilacs coming into bloom at my Grandma's house. It was such a huge bush that we had a little "tree fort" hidden inside. In the summer the low hanging branches worked perfect to hang our dolly's clothes on when we had our pretend "wash" day.

I still love these scents. Give me a bunch of lilacs over roses any day. Sometimes my husband will surprise me with some from the various fields he works in. It guarantees a smile and a sigh of contentment. Then there is the great smell that fills your house for days afterward!! They also make a great air freshener for your car :)

Grandma also had a huge mini field of lily of the valley that we would wade through it picking new bunches every couple of days. The two scents in a bouquet have to be the best smell that I have ever come across in my opinion. I love driving to the old homesteads where there is no longer a house or buildings but evidence of the foundation is there and surrounded by lilac bushes. If the trees and bushes could talk imagine the stories that would be shared.

The Canadian Gardening Magazine May Issue has a great article of all the different lilac varieties that do well in the colder areas.

It also mentions that the Katie Osborne Lilac Gardens in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton holds over 800 different species and cultlivars!! Each year they hold a Lilac Festival late May early June. If you are going to be in the area I am sure it would be a great experience.

So if you haven't fallen in love with Lilacs and Lily of the Valley yet, look for them when they are in bloom (during May) and make a point of stopping and smelling them. If you can talk the owner of the bush into letting you have some they are great for bouquets as well.