It’s well over 30 years ago now since I took a lilac cutting from my aunt’s garden and planted it in my own. It thrived and grew strong but it didn’t bear flowers. I dug it up and took it with me to my next home and again it thrived but still no flowers. Then, when I moved to the house where I now live, the lilac came with me again. For the next five years or so it continued to grow and then suddenly there were flowers – no more than a handful in that first year, but real blooms! What pleasure they gave. Twenty years on, the lilac continues to provide spring colour and a wonderful scent every year and the smell is divine.
Also starting to bloom are the delicate Welsh poppies. These arrive throughout May and June in abundance. Each year after flowering I collect the seeds and sprinkle them around the existing plants in the rockery.
I’ve been treating myself online this weekend: first order was for a couple of dresses for Daughter’s wedding so fingers crossed that one of them will be up to the task. I have a preferred one but we’ll have to see what I think when they get here.
A couple of purchases have already arrived – some much needed hand cream, and a two bars of matching soap. I used to use Woods of Windsor products regularly but haven’t for some time.
In the second parcel were two new Sally Hansen nail polishes which look similar but are quite different – a replacement for the almost empty ‘Enchante’ and the previously untried pearlised ‘Raisin the Bar’. Coincidentally this is almost the same name as my favourite (now discontinued) Bare Minerals lipstick – ‘Raise the Bar’, and the colour is a perfect match. My nails haven’t been painted for several weeks but I’m planning for the ‘social re-launch’ whenever that may be!
I love lilacs and I’m very impressed that you grew one from a cutting. When we moved to our current house, we inherited a most beautiful white lilac. Normally, we wouldn’t be here to see it in full bloom, so I’m taking significant pleasure from its glorious flowers!
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Ho lovely that you are there to see your lilac in bloom….an unexpected bonus of lockdown!
I remember we had both purple and white when I was a child.
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Yes, definitely a bonus!
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Your lilac tree looks lovely and so do the Welsh poppies! Glad to see that your garden is coming along, nicely. I hope your new dresses will work out well for the planned event and I’m glad you were able to get a few treats, as well. 🙂
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I shall report back on the dresses, Bless. They have arrived but the packages are ‘in quarantine’ for a few days
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We usually pass a beautiful lilac tree on our way to school and it has the most wonderful scent. You must be so happy that your persistence paid off in the end.
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Honestly Penny, I gave up hoping. I thought I may as well keep the tree as its greenery was nice. The flowers came in the end though, and what a bonus. They smell gorgeous
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“Social re-launch”: chuckle. I got so fed up one day with being sloppily dressed around that the house, that I started to dress nicely again. The only difference is skipping foundation – having a short holiday from that. So, hopefully, when the lockdown is lifted, I won’t have forgotten how to “scrub up well”. ps yesterday there were no new cases of that virus in New Zealand, hopefully this continues.
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Oh that is fab news, Ratnamurti. We are some way behind you in the UK, but hopefully getting there. Glad you like the new expression I coined….we’re all hoping for a social re-launch soon!
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Your lilac is such a beautiful colour
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Thank you, Jean
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We planted our lilac when we came here in 1985 and it’s still going, well, not particularly strong but still going and producing blooms! Well done on your lilac blooming.
Love the nail colours! Enchante is a favourite of mine, too!
I also like Woods of Windsor – they used to make a Freesia fragrance that I liked. This was first sent as a present to me when I was in hospital in 1992 but I don’t think it’s available any longer.
Margaret P
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Freesia sounds wonderful. I’d definitely try that if it has still been available. I know you like Enchante ….such a useful colour.
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I liked your happy ending lilac story. It gives me hope for a lilac tree that we have that hasn’t ever bloomed. I also like to treat myself but mine involve yarn, books, and other boring things. I like your treats better! 💖
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Haha, I got yarn last week, and I’ve downloaded several books……even though I prefer ‘real’ books! Thanks for contributing.
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