in the garden - lily of the valley

Currently you can smell our gardens before you actually see them.

We have three parts of our gardens that are full of blooming Lily of the Valley and their scent is unbelievable. Naturally, I pulled enough for a small arrangement and put them in the living room.

They always remind me of royal wedding bouquets.

in the garden - lilacs

I was worried being away for the long weekend, that given all the gorgeous weather we've been having, the Lilacs would bloom and I would miss them.

They were so close to opening when I left, and we all know how quickly they come and go.

Happily, they were just ready for cutting by the time we returned, and I didn't miss enjoying them. The first thing I did the next morning was head out to the garden and snip a bouquet for our dining room table.

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I'm partial to this white variety, Mme Lemoine, but I do have to say, they aren't quite as fragrant as some of the more traditional purple varieties. But they still smell lovely!

And then while out with the boys, I couldn't resist picking a few branches of these purple ones on some back road. They are classically beautiful.

spring blossoms

The other afternoon, the boys and I took a drive around the country side, scouting our favorite orchards, hoping the blossoms would be out.

We caught them at the perfect time!

I don't know why I look forward to them so much, but I do. I love that we live in a region where there's an abundance of fruit farms and fruit stands. And something about seeing the blossoms is a reminder that not long after, strawberries will be ripe for picking and local snap peas and asparagus will be available at the market. Not to mention the joy of walking through clover that's halfway up to my knees, still damp from rain, and the sound of bees floating from blossom to blossom...

And as quickly as they appear, they seem to fade. All the more reason to make the most of them while we can.