Lilacs

While I have been planning my spring garden, my mind always wanders back to lilacs. I love their delicate little flowers all grouped together, and their scent is unmistakable. I long to have my own large lilac bush one day, just like the one we had while I was growing up. I daydream of having fresh lilacs from it all season long and opening my windows to it's scent wafting in. My first attempt at planting one did not fare so well a few years back, but I am thinking of planting another this year. In my quest to find out just exactly what suits them best I came across this interesting information. If you love lilacs as well you may enjoy it.

The story of lilac, according to Greek mythology, begins with a beautiful nymph named Syringa (lilac’s botanical name). Captivated by her beauty, Pan, the god of the forests and fields, chased Syringa through the forest. Frightened by Pan’s affections, Syringa escaped him by turning herself into an aromatic bush – the flower we now refer to as lilac.

The 8th wedding anniversary flower and the state flower of New Hampshire (symbolizing the hardy character of the Granite State’s citizens), lilacs are frequently considered a harbinger of spring, with the time of their bloom signaling whether spring will be early or late. In the language of flowers, purple lilacs symbolize the first emotions of love, while white lilacs represent youthful innocence.