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Thursday, June 9, 2016

California Lilacs

One of my favorite early summer flowers - California Lilacs - Ceanothus

The descriptions given say it loves hot weather and doesn't like rain - but it grows everywhere in NW WA - big, wonderfully scented bushes.
 The flowers are a bit smaller than a regular lilac - but the scent is magnificent.
 They bloom after the regular lilacs are finished blooming - and the flowers last longer
 Pass by on a warm summer day and you think you are in heaven!

13 comments:

J said...

Yes, it would be heavenly to be surrounded with this scent! I always identify it with the best times in my life. My beloved maternal grandma lived in back of us and she had several bushes. They would bloom profusely at the time of year when nasty winter was finally over and the end of the school year was in sight. She cut branches for us to take to school to place in front of the Blessed Virgin statue and to enjoy at home. That intoxicating scent will never stop reminding me of those happy days!
How much better, even, to have access to these "wild" blossoms!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I like these too -- the scent is SO powerful!

21 Wits said...

Very, very pretty, and if my Gnomes could speak, they'd say we want to live there!

Marigene said...

I can just imagine the scent amidst all those lilacs...
I like that the blossoms are a little smaller than regular lilacs...do they make better cut flowers for inside than regular lilacs, which seem to wilt right off?
I think you live in a most interesting area of the country, so much to see and smell, JoAnn!
Have a great weekend.

Judy at GoldCountryCottage said...

Really beautiful, JoAnn. We used to have a large bush when we lived in Santa Cruz and they really did well. I don't have one here and I never see any around, so maybe it is too hot for them. I remember the smell and it was heavenly. Happy Thursday..xxo Judy

Pamela Gordon said...

They are gorgeous JoAnn. I didn't know California had its own lilac variety. it guess they wouldn't do well in our climate.

Lowcarb team member said...

Such beautiful blooms, wonderful colour and scent.

All the best Jan

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

How beautiful...such a pretty shade of lavender! heehee! I bet the bees and birds love these blooms! Sweet hugs, Diane

Candy S said...

I love the scent of lilacs. They are so beautiful during late spring, the lilac in my front yard has just finished blooming and the petals all blew off in a storm this week.

Small City Scenes said...

I like Ceanothus also. We used to sell a lot at the Nursery where I worked. There are different shade of purpley blue too and a trailing (port reyes-(I think) variety. I think they grow wild on the hillsides in some parts of California.
About barn--there sure are a lot of them out there. I don't get up north very often but am going to have to. Sometimes we post the same but there sure are a lot.
Happy posting
MB

Small City Scenes said...

Oh it is Point Reyes
OOps

Julie Fukuda said...

I have never had any luck growing them here in Tokyo. Certainly what those lack in size, they make up for in profusion.

Amy at love made my home said...

I never knew these were called California Lilac! We have in our garden, they are pretty aren't they.