The scent of lilacs always reminds me of my childhood.
Mom had a large lilac bush in the front yard, near the corner of the house.
I loved smelling the deep purple blooms. Every May, Mom cut several lilac branches and put them in vases in the living room and kitchen.
One of my favorite childhood memories is how the whole house smelled of lilacs!
When my husband and I bought our first house, I knew I would plant a lilac bush.
It’s been hit or miss with blooms; some years my lilac bush has dozens of branches filled with gorgeous purple blooms.
The following year, I’m lucky if there are three of four clusters of flowers.
This year, the bush is covered with flowers!
I’ve cut several branches to bring inside; my home smells of that wonderful lilac fragrance.
Did you know lilacs aren’t native to North America? The common lilac is native to eastern Europe and was brought to America by settlers in the 1700’s.
Lilacs are long-lived bushes; they can live for 100 years or more.
When I’m out birding and see a lone lilac bush in bloom on in a field or meadow, I know there was once a nearby farm or home.
Did you know lilacs were planted annually in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries?
Farmers planted lilac bushes in April to commemorate the day President Abraham Lincoln died.
