Lilac 'Sensation'

Guess it is high time to blow new life into my blog - it is 5 years ago since the last blogpost.
For a long time for some unknown reason my account was inaccessible despite the good advise at the forum. Anyhow, a miracle and here we are back in 'Les Trois Jardins'. Enjoy!

This time of the year all around us the prunus, malus, laburnum and lilac trees are blossoming abundantly. It is a wonderful sight. In such a short time the garden has burst into life: from dark and brown to all these lush blossoms and greenery.
It is polderland here, trees root superficially. We lost a few trees in the severe storms over the years that we have lived here. Some fall over because they are tired of their lives, but the ones still present are eye candy for everyone who passes by or lives next or opposite our garden.

Syringa sinensis 'Sensation'

'Sensation' was the latest acquisition in the row of white, purple, and mauve lilac trees in the garden. About 5 years ago it was planted as a tiny plant and has now turned into a big shrub. It will grow 2,5 meters high. A few blossoms were put on a vase, their perfume filled the room. This was not a good idea: the next day they looked sad, and the third day they had shrunk altogether. So that is a lesson, you might as well leave them on the shrub and enjoy their blossoms longer. Eventually you have to cut the shrub back though, so it is not all that bad to take cuttings for a vase. It was such a sad view though to see them loose their beauty so quickly in the vase.

'Sensation' and Silene dioica or Sticky Catchfly

The bouquet is a happy mix of lilacs and a variety of the cuckoo's flower. The plant is possibly named after the forest god Silenus, because of its fat belly. They bloom all over the garden, are easily removed if you are not happy with it. By then they have already happily spread their seeds. Personally when I talk about 'Silenus' that is a white bloom with a much fatter round belly, often seen along the roads, another variety.

Lilacs forever take me back to my grandmother's garden, where the lilac tree bent over and touched the ground, forming a spectacular view on to the back garden.

It also takes me back to the teahouse of my friend's mother along the river. The teahouse was hidden and surrounded by lilacs. Having no garden at one time it was forever a wonderful surprise to receive a huge bouquet of lilacs from her garden through my friend. She would ring the door bell and would have this large bunch in her arms. One can only gasp at such a moment: so much beauty, and the perfume of the flowers! May! Spring!

'Tea drinker' - Société Céramique Petrus Regout

Happy reading, happy May!

Reaching out to the blue sky and growing taller and taller