Breathing in the fragrance of perfect.Last night I woke to a lovely fragrance filling the bedroom. The Japanese Tree Lilac outside my window was in full bloom and the damp night air carried the wonderful scent into the house. A scent completely unlike the common lilac, but very pleasant, sweet and smoky.
I can't imagine why Syringa reticulata is such and underused tree. Smallish, very well behaved and manageable. The flowers are a delight. Big, billowy puffs of creamy white. Far showier than its cousin the common purple lilac.
My mistake was planting a white blooming tree in front of a white house. Still, I'm not sorry when the wonderful fragrance drifts into my room and wakes me. (When the purple lilacs bloom it is far too chilly to have windows open at night.)
I lay there in bed last night and thought about planting one outside every window;~) .
(Thank you Joshua Pilger for the phrase I used as a title.)
26 comments:
Marnie, I have only this year known what a Japanese Lilac was. I learned from the blogging world! Since seeing them on posts I was able to identify several in the area. They do have a different sent than the purple ones-a little overpowering at times. But wafting on the breeze it is lovely. Yours is delightful to see.
Beckie, thanks. I am amazed how much I've learned from bloggers. So many are posting things I've never seen.
The fragrance is a little strong up close;)
Marnie
thanks for visiting the 4thDog....your collie is lovely...and I am so impressed by your life!!!
Is a Japanese Lilac at all like the Japanese SnowBell?
e
GGW just posted about this tree; which I had never heard of and now another blogger too! Must be special and so smart of you to plant it close! Does it smell like regular lilacs?
I LOVE your blog, great pics, just found you from 'This Girls Art'. Cathy has a wonderful garden too and is a very dear, sweet friend. Love your furry and feathered friends too, I'll be back...enjoy blogland, I'm new too.
sharon
manie, i can't believe i see a japanese lilac as the 1st pic on your blog.i totally agree, best ornamental tree around. the smelll is fantablous!!! i have a simular pic in my camera right now, i have'nt downloaded it into my blog yet. I love your photography, your photos of your flowers are gorgous.cathie
Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a message. Now I can visit you :) I'm enjoying your blog so far and love your animals :)
Kim x
Hello e, nothing like a snowball bush. I have photos of one in an earlier posting.
Thanks for stopping by. Your collies are wonderful. I'll be back to read more about them.
Marnie
Good morning tina, no the JTL doesn't smell like the common lilacs that bloom in May. I'm so bad at describing different scents. It's sweet and as beckie pointed out overpowering up close. Really nice when it perfumes the entire yard or the house though.
Marnie
Sweet repose, I peeked at your blog just now. I coming back and spending lots of time looking at those wonderful antiques. (Like I need anymore antiques but I cannot help myself. Is there a 12-Step program for antique addicts?)
Thank you for stopping in and I'll see you soon.
Marnie
Cconz, it's nice to meet you, thanks for stopping in to visit. Are you good at describing scents. People have asked me what the JTL smell like and words just fail me except to say they smell sweet and flowery;)
I'll be by to see your photos.
Marnie
Hello Kim. Thank you for visiting me. I loved your fox story. I wish we had more in this area. We are very rural here but the coyotes have killed or driven out most of the poor little creatures.
I'll be back to your site to follow up on the foxes.
Marnie
I would think the texture of the white lilac contrasts with the house, plus you have the cool shape of the tree and its bark to offset it, too. And of course the scent is wonderful!
~ Monica
Hi Monica, nice to see you. Thanks for stopping by.
You're right, all the pretty green foliage contrasts with the white house and white blooms. (I have white flowering Annabelle hydrangea and white viburnum below the JTL;)
I just barely stopped myself from putting a lovely variegated willow in front of the white walls. I was afraid that wouldn't show up.
Marnie
I had never heard of a Japanese lilac tree until seeing them on different blogs this spring. They certainly look beautiful--maybe you'll start a trend in planting them!
Love the Robert Frost poem from yesterday. That barn is a treasure--I'm sure some would want to tear it down, but old barns have such character.
Hi Rose. I know what you mean. You hate to see something with that much history disappear. On the other hand they are sooooo very expensive to keep up. Many people are replacing the old wooden barns with metal pole barns. They don't have the character (IMHO) but they are more efficient and cost effective.
The tree lilacs. To see one is to want one. I saw my first blooming in front of a library. I immediately went out and found one to buy;)
Thanks for visiting.
Marnie
Oh I like you so much already! Thanks for stopping by my little blog - It seems you have many of the same interests as me - I love Stephanie Plum! Have several of the books but am only on #4 -
Your farm (and your darling animal family) is picture perfect -as is your photography. I am glad to have found yet another blog I can read and smile at everyday!
Colleen
Colleen, thanks so much for stopping by. Isn't it great the folks you meet on blogs? So many with similar interests.
I love your sense of humor. The car was great. Who made the wonderful matching shirts for husband and dog?
Marnie
Marnie, where in Illinois are you, I had an Aunt that lived on the Rock River, we helped her move out all the time.
Being single sure gives you the time to reflect and grow without distraction. I think this will be permanent for me, too hard to find that perfect partner with the same likes and love of nature, respect for ALL five-fingered humans and ecology...I'm too quirky and it takes like minds and besides Scratchy duth protest...
Email me sometime, we have a lot in common.
sharon...love these blogfriends
Good morning Sharon. I tried emailing twice. I must be doing something (or maybe several somethings) wrong. I keep getting error messages. The last rejection said I didn't have your valid email address.
Marnie
Hey gal, I have been trying to post pictures since 5:30 this morning and they were taking FOREVER...maybe that's why you couldn't get through. Just go to my website and click on contact and hopefully you will get through.
Enjoy the new posts, Manleys' is a great shop...
sharon
I'm one of those weirdos who's not crazy about Tree Lilacs. I don't like their scent & I don't like the way the faded flowers look. I don't mean to disparage the plant, but I just wanted to explain why they aren't universally loved & why they aren't more popular. I'm glad you like yours, it your photos of it are lovely.
Hi Mr McGregor's Daughter. Your right about the flowers. First they looked like snow--not too bad. Then they looked like dirty snow--not too good. Most of my flowering trees/shrubs go thru that ugly period when the flowers are spent. With mine the ugly time doesn't last but a few days.
Marnie
Hi Marnie, I too had never heard of this plant, but it sounds like it's doing well for you. I have a simple solution to rectify your "mistake" ... how about repainting your house a different color? That sure would be a lot easier than changing the color of your lilac tree! Totally free advice subject to dismissal, I know! LOL
Hi Iowa Victory Gardener. I would love to follow your advice and have a different color on my house! Taupe with green shutters or butter yellow with white trim. White flowers would look good with taupe.
LOL, if I started painting now, I'd be done by Christmas.
Hello my name is Joshua Pilger and I just wanted to personally thank you for referencing the phrase of which you based your title on.
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