I mention lilac every spring I think. I know it's way, way OT but it's my one lapse (or one among a very few, at least here).

But it's time for my annual Great Lilac Hunt. I try to find the best of the bunch around and about and re-visit them often during their short life.

I just absolutely love lilac. Every colour but especially the pale lilac, the white lilac and the deep lilac. And the scent is heavenly. I've tried wearing lilac perfume but it just cannot begin to compare to the living scent.

Lilacs used to be abundant around Vancouver and its suburbs but so much rapid development has been their death knell. Every year, fewer and fewer are on display as they are sacrificed in the name of progress. Tragedy!

I love the trees and the bushes alike, their form and size and blossoms. And I often linger for a moment near my picture on the wall of a beautiful young girl gazing at an amazingly gorgeous lilac tree.

Some years my Great Hunt has been fruitless as there are so few, it seems, left to be found.

This year I've done better than in recent years, spotting eight trees or bushes of lilacs in and around my own neighbourhood. What a delightful surprise. Two of the eight boast the deep purple blossoms, my favourite, but I also love the bushes that sport three different shades from pale to deep purple.

Their blossoms are so beautiful, the colours so lovely, the scent divine. You have to get close to breathe in the perfume as it's soft and delicate.

My hunt is so much more pleasurable, informative, inspiring and delightful than ten thousand meetings, temple trips, sermons or church suppers. (What isn't!)

If there is a heaven, surely it will be bursting with lilac blooms. That's how I'd do it if anybody asked for my preferences.

When I found a link today to dozens of pictures of lilacs my heart leaped. So beautiful. I can't even choose a favourite.

Here it is. Enjoy.


https://www.google.com/search?q=lilac+trees&client=firefox-b-d&sxsrf=ALeKk01vwtZFkTUPdiMm1Iydc639tFx8nQ:1620601260771&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=1JtL55o1lQiRQM%252CF1jALpsngd_MjM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kRUc2qPkTLpQfL3fPUbK2SEMuY5fQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi0x-GT2r3wAhWPup4KHXY1DDgQ_h0wA3oECAkQCQ&biw=1536&bih=750#imgrc=1JtL55o1lQiRQM

Thanks!

I planted a new little lilac bush last year. It is dark purple, my favorite lilac color. It now has tiny buds all over starting to grow. I can hardly wait to see it bloom. I love the scent too. I'm hoping we don't have another hard freeze that might destroy the buds.

Any support for the (old man's) notion that White Shoulders perfume had a lot of lilac scent in it?

You know how the whiff of a scent can transport you from wherever/whenever you are, back to a place and point in time? White Shoulders perfume would most certainly do that for me.

Maybe the next I'm in Nordstrom's, I'll test this by ambling over to a perfume counter to see if I can get a whiff (a hit?) off a clerk's wrist...

A few websites like this one support your impression:

https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Evyan/White-Shoulders-6797.html

They have two descriptions of the perfume (EMPHASIS mine):

"White Shoulders by Evyan is a Floral Aldehyde fragrance for women. White Shoulders was launched in 1945. Top notes are Aldehydes, African Orange flower, Green Notes, Peach and Bergamot; middle notes are Gardenia, LILAC, Tuberose, Jasmine, Lily, Lily-of-the-Valley, iris and Spices; base notes are Civetta, Oakmoss, Musk, Benzoin, Sandalwood and Amber."

"White Shoulders is one of the first fragrances produced by Evyan of New York City. White Shoulders is a classic floral based on aldehydes, white flowers (gardenia, jasmine, tuberose, lily-of-the-valley, LILAC, lily and orris) and complex final notes (amber, benzoin, musk, civet and oak moss). The perfume was established in 1943 (1945)."

Tyson

Ralph Lauren's "Lauren" fragrance also has some lilac notes.

https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Ralph-Lauren/Lauren-891.html

And there are always the classic sources for lilac scented products such as Caswell-Massey, etc.

What I know about White Shoulders comes from pre-mormon mission time, back in the early 60s.

Two young ladies I dated would wear it.

Good times!

I'll have to check it out. I like the classic scents. My go-to scent is L'air du Temps by Nina Ricci. It's getting more and more difficult to find the old favorites. The department stores don't carry them anymore.

Back in the 80's there was a very nice department store in NYC called Henri Bendel. That store used to carry fragrances that went way, way back such as Guerlain's "L'heure Bleue," and many other hard-to-find scents. I would sometimes go in there after work, take out the stoppers on the testers one-by-one, and inhale.

I think I bought her a small bottle one year for Mother's Day or her birthday. Funny how it seemed expensive to me at the time, but I was younger and poorer, so that would make sense.

Tyson

My mom liked that as well. I still have a bottle of her Eau de Toilette. It's funny how scents can bring back memories of people.

You can buy it at Walgreens. That's where I get mine.

Did you know that there is no true Lilac perfume/essential oil? They can't get enough oil out of them to do it. All lilac "oils" or perfumes are actually either a composite of other oils to make a lilac-like fragrance or completely man-made.

I found this out when I was trying to find a lilac essential oil for my bath. I LOVE THE FRAGRANCE OF LILAC!

Yesterday as I drove down a nearby street I passed a woman who was walking with a huge harmful of lilacs. It seemed I could smell them in the car. Unlikely, but perhaps it was you Nightingale.

Kemtish Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yesterday as I drove down a nearby street I passed
> a woman who was walking with a huge harmful of
> lilacs. It seemed I could smell them in the car.
> Unlikely, but perhaps it was you Nightingale.


In spirit maybe it was me, kentish. Very poetic.

I'd love to know what that lady was doing. Not a sight you see often. Other than in a picture on my wall of a beautiful young woman gathering lilac blossoms from a tree.

I'm feeling jealous here. We do have a lilac in our garden, one of the beautiful deep-coloured ones - but it only seems to flow alternate years, and this year is an off-tear. Luckily I have several ceanothus trees, which the French call a Californian lilac, of various shades of blue. The largest (about 15 feet tall) is a lovely deep blue and, as it's in flower, is currently a writhing mass of honeybees ;-)

In case it is helpful for anyone, check when you are pruning them. This could be why they don't bloom.

Lilacs begin to form next year's buds shortly after this year's flowers finish blooming. To avoid cutting away next year's flowers, it is very important to trim them right after they finish flowering. The new buds are hard to see, but they begin to form in the late spring.

Your trees sound lovely.

Correct Dagny. It is called flowering wood. It does take time to trim them correctly. You can't just hack at them, each stem must be done or you can just leave them and they will shed them over the winter. But they look crappy. I lost one last winter to an ice storm. Not happy. A 20 year bush. I had to take three of a different variety out last year because they were over grown to the point they would not stay upright and had blocked the windows. I did trim two way way back and they are coming back well but I don't expect them to bloom this year but I think they will next.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2021 12:23AM by Susan I/S.

I've never seen blue ones, Tom, except in pictures.

Maybe dagny's timely tip about the early buds will change things for next year.

I love lilacs as well. Many people do. I've always wondered why they are not more common.

my twins gave me for mother's day when they were around 5 years old.

That is so sweet, cl2. Lilacs from your young twins.

Come to Rochester NY for our Lilac Festival, which features 1200 lilac bushes. You would go into lilac shock. Purple, pink, white, single blossoms, double blossoms, any variation you can imagine.

Lilac shock. Sounds like heaven to me. And a good name for a band!

I was in NYC once in my life, when I was a JW. The only thing I saw was the headquarters building of the WatchTower Society. {{slaps head - what a dope}}

At the time, we expected it to be the most sublime experience possible for humankind. I was so shocked when one of the male workers there glared at us (a group of young JW women) during our tour and hissed "husband hunters!" It really hurt my feelings. Not what I was expecting when visiting the holy grail. And btw, we actually did not have that ulterior motive in mind, even though JW leaders encourage marriage quick and young. That guy sure was a buzz kill, at least for me.

I do regret spending time there instead of being out and about in New York and maybe spotting the Statue of Liberty or something equally memorable. I don't even remember what the stupid WT building looked like. And it's not even there any more.

>> I was so shocked when one of the male workers there glared at us (a group of young JW women) during our tour and hissed "husband hunters!"

I've never understood the mentality of men disparaging women for quite reasonably wanting to find a suitable mate, as if somehow they themselves don't want a partner as well. Sure, it that's your sole purpose in life, then maybe something is wrong. However most women have other goals in mind as well.

Lilacs turned out to be the answer to a Jeopardy clue a couple of nights ago.

Question (paraphrase): What is syringia vulgaris?

Answer: Lilacs!

I got it right.

Duh! :)

I'm still waiting on the Ludwig Spaeth, I think it got some kind of leaf curl disease this year. I've got 5 lilacs in my garden, and would dearly love to shoe-horn in a couple more.

My lilac hedges are just beginning to bloom. Love this time of year when everything is blooming and the bees are happy and humming

even more. In this area, they are EVERYWHERE. I don't think there are many yards here that don't have at least one lilac bush, but most yards had have "hedges" of lilac bushes, like driving into Logan from Hyrum is about 5 miles. Some years ago, they changed it from a 2 lane country road to a "highway." People along the highway have put up "hedges" of lilacs to block the highway from their front yard.

In walking the dogs around the neighborhood yesterday, I was shocked by all the lilacs.

When I take them to the Logan River trail to walk, there are wild roses. They aren't blooming yet, but every time I walk by them, I remember that I MUST plant some in my yard. My "husband" doesn't want them, but I'm going to sneak them in. We had them around a big tree in our yard when I was growing up. The tree and roses were there when they built the house. I loved that tree. They cut it down when the city put in sidewalks on that street. Wild roses are one of my favorites as are honey locust trees, which is what that tree was. Childhood memories. (My parents' house still has wild rose bushes in it that were volunteers.)

Indeed, smelling lilacs is one of the best parts of walking around while looking for bunnies.

4.9 miles today. Several lilacs, no bunnies, two chippies.

Tyson

Your bunny report is cheering me up, Tyson Dunn. Very cute. Thank you!

I love that you incorporate the lilacs too.

As for the chippies, now you're making me hungry. I'd go a long way to find good chips these days. Dare I say, the English kind. Thin, crispy, salty. Wow. Now I need my lunch!

These chippies:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Chipmunk_%2871669%29.jpg


I have to go visit relatives for a week, so I don't expect to see any bunnies or chippies, though my brother says that there is a fox living at the back of their yard, so that ought to be interesting. Probably not much walking there either - temperatures promise to be too warm. :(

Tyson

Oh, haha. I was hungry when I read your post. Went immediately to good old English fish and chips.

Have a good and safe trip.

Thank you, everyone! I'm thrilled to see so many fellow lilac-lovers around.

I found another couple bushes/trees in my neighbourhood the other day. The blossoms were very pale, though. I wonder if they're anemic from poor soil or other reasons or if that's their usual colour. Not white, kind of a sickly wanna-be purply effort.

I have yet to catch the supernal lilac scent this year. It's delicate anyway but extra tough to catch this year, I've found.

I might try to find some lilac perfume. I've never looked for it. I guess I assumed nobody could possibly capture that amazing scent artificially.

Thanks again, all. You've made this year's hunt extra fun. Maybe as it's shared, especially in this time of relative isolation.

Maybe you contacted a very mild case of the Corona Virus and it's messing with your sense of smell?


I think I caught some Corona and it messed with both my olfactory nerves and my old factory nerves!!

Always a possibility. I was quite ill in Jan 2020 and again early this year. I couldn't get a vaccination til April. My MD wanted me to get a CV test but I was too scared. Didn't want that "brain swab" everyone was complaining about. As with the vaccine, if they didn't show images of the test being done I wouldn't have been so nervous about it, I think. Or I would have gone in ignorance and been too embarrassed to chicken out. I figured I would wait and get the antibody test but they're not really doing that just for curiosity sake at this point.

If the virus messed up my lilac season that's another good reason to despise the thing.


EOD: "I think I caught some Corona and it messed with both my olfactory nerves and my old factory nerves!!"

Well, as long as it's not your little factory.

Hey, after all these years on RfM I finally make a Mormon-themed joke. That I would only know from all the mentions that particular doctrine gets around here. I didn't know anything about it while I was attending SM or even "teaching" in Primary. Pretty strange, Mormons. Assigning a newbie who knows no doctrine to teach it to the kids. Method in their madness? Or just madness?

> Pretty strange, Mormons.
> Assigning a newbie who
> knows no doctrine to teach
> it to the kids. Method in
> their madness?


You were called to teach the kids AND yourself!

Yeah.

And none of us learned anything! Or at least, nothing useful at all.

The one positive in the whole debacle was missing out on RS. The few special occasion evenings I attended were more than enough to make me so happy not to be going to RS regularly. During one of them a very short and pudgy convert lady was chosen to dress up as Mother Goose, for God only knows what reason - what was I supposed to say when she asked me if she looked silly? Um....no? I much preferred the cute and lively kids. They were so eager to soak up knowledge. What an utter waste of time that whole thing was.

I've said before how I took them outside to get some fresh air and have more fun learning but that effort was quickly shut down by the bishop. The kids loved it but it didn't fit the devised pattern. Just another way I most decidedly did not fit in.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2021 06:53PM by Nightingale.

I found a good one. I use it for my bath and as a perfume. Just remember that it is "lilac safe". No little lilacs gave their life for it.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lilac-Fragrance-Oil-Premium-Grade-Scented-Oil-100ml/141282204

Thanks Heidi! I will look for that and try it. I've never heard of or thought about lilac perfume before this thread. Maybe they can be with me all year 'round after all. :)

I looked into the scent thing and it is interesting. Real lilac oil/perfume is rare because it can't be distilled with heat like most things. It ruins the scent. It has to be cold pressed. Also, there is a short blooming period and they are delicate. This is why most scents are synthetic. Around this time a year you may be able to find something real but it is expensive. Also, there are a lot of products out there that just lie. This is a maybe, it claims to be real and the reviews are good.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/802449805/fresh-lilac-essential-oil-perfume?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=lilac+oil&ref=sr_gallery-1-18&organic_search_click=1

Cool! Thanks!

Yes. Thanks, Sus.

Maybe I can be enveloped in lilac all year 'round.

I would be careful if you are going to be gardening or out and about. Bees can be attracted to florals :)

If I remember correctly back in the 1960's one of the skin mags like Playboy or Hustler came out with a scratch and sniff issue of the center fold model.

The scent was lilac.

So now you associate lilac with ...?

I get aroused when I pass a women and she smells of lilacs.

Imagine being enveloped by that scent while making out!

It’s a consummation devoutly to be wished by good little mormon teens on a Saturday night.

This is going in a direction I most certainly did not expect.

Ah, I see EOD is involved.

That explains everything you need to know. :)

I never asked Paula or Charlotte to wesr that scent!!

All I did was breathe deep... or "breathe derp', which was what I initially typed. I wonder if I was trying to tell myself something?

I do believe that I can relate to ED, he too has a one track gutter mind.