Lilacs

Do you love lilacs as much as I do? Which color is your favorite? Just as I have settled on one, another catches my eye. The rich royal purple, I guess.
They all are gorgeous, it is too hard to decide.

Perhaps you live in a climate where lilacs cannot grow. Let me tell you about them. Lilacs were my mother’s delight. She planted bushes throughout our yard as a plush colorful natural fence! We had deep purples, burgundy purples, lighter violets and whites. What a pretty sight! As a little accent, she added a couple of yellow forsythia bushes and “gave me” my very own flowering pink magnolia tree. I’ve got to tell you that the months of May and June were a floral wonderland at my house!

Now, just so you know, they do attract bees. Bees LOVE flowers. So, for those who are not fond of bees, you may want to plant your lilac bushes at the extremity of your yard — but the beauty far outweighs that little drawback. And, there is another bonus you will LOVE about lilacs – butterflies ADORE lilacs! Expect to see a lot of them while they are in bloom!

Lilacs are shrubs. They can grow quite large, so you will want to be mindful of that when planting them. The Farmer’s Almanac has excellent instructions about just how to plant and care for them. You can check it out here: All About Lilacs

And even information is available more from Martha Stewart:  “Lilacs”

Rochester, New York is known as the lilac-loving capital in the US. Dubbed “The Flower City” Rochester hosts The Annual Lilac Festival at Highland Park for two weeks every May. The free event boasts a display of over 1200 lilac bushes to view! Walk the trails throughout the park and take-in the flowering panorama. Enjoy great live entertainment, fun and games for the children and lots of great food from the local vendors who all turn out for this great family time.  You may even get to see the mounted police while you are there.

Vacationing in Rochester, New York? “Does anyone vacation in Rochester, New York” you say? It may not sound exciting but do consider it. As is the homeplace of the Strong National Museum of Play and the host of the Lilac Festival there are just two great reasons to go there. Want more? Come over to Traveling Family Blog and read my post  Things To Do When Visiting Rochester New York. It will open your eyes!

Enjoy!