[Lilacs, Arnold Arboretum, Boston; 5/12/13]
We've had a bountiful spring, I must say, after a long, snowy winter. It has remained mostly pretty cool at night -- almost down to frost the other night -- but the cold seems to have preserved the blossoms on many of our flowering trees. The Arnold Arboretum's Lilac Sunday celebration last weekend certainly benefited from perfect spring weather patterns for the lilacs, which mostly all opened right on time for the annual Mother's Day-coinciding festival. It did rain all morning, but the storm passed out to sea by around noon and hordes of moms and families came out to enjoy the heady scent of the arboretum's 380 lilac plants (176 different species)!
[Visitors stroll past a hillside showing off a variety of lilac species]
[Lilac paparazzi get right in for their close shots]
Although it was clearly the lilacs' day, there were plenty of other flowering plants and trees to be enjoyed -- wildflowers, peonies, flowering dogwoods and cherry trees -- as well as an abundance of burgeoning greenery.
[Tree peonies, on the Chinese Path]
Of course, along with all this abundance comes spring allergy season. I've been on allergy shots for two years now, so I'm doing pretty well, but I came away from our visit to the Arboretum with itchy, watering nose and eyes, so I think I hit my saturation point. I've had to break down and take a bit of antihistamines, but so much less than I used to need. Another thing to be grateful for.
You can see a handful more pix from Lilac Sunday here, alas without the scent, but also without the accompanying pollen!
