We went shopping today, and when we came back Cat said look at the Lilac Trees buds. I had not noticed its new growth of flower buds. This tree in a pot has travelled with me from Trilby Street to Fishponds Drive to our current address. It is now over two metres tall, and even the leaves smell of Lilac. 
The Tree has been with me in my head since my Nans Sister had one in Pickering. As soon as I got into gardening I always wanted a Lilac Tree. Its flowering and scented blooms is one of the highlights of the year. I remember there is a Lilac Festival in Spokane, Washington.Does anyone have a web link to it?Its funny what plants you can associate with your family. Memories of plants make you attached to them. When you get the chance of a new garden you seem to pick the plants that your parents or grandparents had before.
Childhood memories imprint in the brain, or in this case the perfumed aroma of the Lilac Trees flowers.
I read an interesting article on the BBCs news site that reflects on gardening over a period of time means plants take on the role of photos in a family album.
I have the deep attachment to the Lilac Tree i bought in my old garden. Cat bought me a David Austin Lady Emma Hamilton Rose a few years ago for my birthday. It has followed me in three houses now and the combination of scent/blooms mean I long to see it flower every year.
Flowers from my memories include a Climbing Rose that still grows outside Mums kitchen window in Cheltenham, Foxgloves that self seeded everywhere and run amok, A Camellia that flowered near to the Climbing Rose, and Lily Of The Valley that bloomed under a conifer hedge between the Foxgloves. These flowers have become a link between my past and present.
Over time though our garden will begin to take on deeper significance that comes from caring for a piece of land. New flowers, plants, and Trees will become linked to this garden and my memory.
I cannot wait for my Lilac to flower and I will photograph it for the blog.
2 comments:
Love the idea of us choosing plants because of childhood familiarity. I've long thought that we choose where we live because of childhood associations - so city folk might be drawn back to cities, etc.
My Mum loved magnolias and although I didn't when I was younger, since she died I'm often drawn to them - in fact have just chosen some wallpaper with magnolias on to repaper our kitchen with...
One's early associations with plants are important. When the early English settlers came to America, they consistently brought apples and lilacs. The apples could be planted many places, but the lilacs always by the house. Now, in New England, you find old abandoned farms and you can locate the old house foundations by looking for lilacs. The continue on when the people have left.
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