Perhaps due to some unseasonably cold weather recently (including a couple of freezes), we may be having problems with one of our loveliest spring flowers - the lilac.
At first, I was happy because the lilacs were out so early - in the third week of April we had lilacs opening up, almost a month ahead of "schedule". But then, a co-worker told me her lilacs were open, but they had no scent.
Then, I looked at my lilac bush. It might be almost 50 years old and is quite wide. I had one - just one- patch of flowers on the entire plant. This looks like a lot but that is all there is. One small patch, and they are about 8 feet off the ground. No lilac bouquets this year sweetly scenting my dining room? Looks like it.
On my neighbor's white bush this is all there is going to be. One branch.
Fortunately, other flowers have done a lot better.
Last week I posted a picture of a large tulip patch in front of a senior housing development in downtown Binghamton, where I work. This was in the flood area but it didn't seem to hurt the tulip beds. Yesterday they were still going strong.
Our amazing spring has been full of surprises.
Are you having an amazing spring, too? And, if lilacs grow in your area - does it look like it is not going to be a good year for them?
Here in Ontario the magnolia blooms were frozen on the trees. I don't know about the lilacs. Near here there is an old roadway leading past a farmstead that is long gone, but the lilacs have gone wild out. I like to walk out there every May. I shall go take a look.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have lilacs here, but our spring came very early, too. Flowers bloomed in January and February that should not have come out until March. Weird weather.
ReplyDeleteAhh, my favorite flower! Here in VA they bloomed right on time, but they didn't last long with a couple of really cold nights.
ReplyDeleteMy lilacs didn't have a lot of blooms either this year ~ I heard that it's because they need to be pruned. Now that they're finished for the season, I'm going to try that and see what happens next year.
I think there is not much better in the world than lilacs...and they don't grow where I live, either...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos - make me miss the East Coast. I live in Arizona where we usually have a beautiful but micro-sized spring. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLaura