Tuesday, April 29, 2014

LILY OF THE VALLEY

lily of the valley posies, gardenista



Lily of the Valley is my absolute favorite flower.*

It is the flower I relate to the most. After the gloomy winter days have passed on for the year, the elegant dark green leaves appear, not in the bright sunshine, but lingering in the cool shadows. At my childhood home, the lilies were hidden between a giant and protective pine tree and the underside of the porch. I remember admiring the dainty white flowers and gently picking them to keep by my bed. 

lily of the valley, gardenista

Ever since then, I cannot help myself with these tiny little flowers. Their sweet, childlike fragrance is unparalleled, and they give a sense of mystery and nostalgia; those very same plants had been in my great-grandmother's yard when my dad was growing up. I never met my great-grandmother, but there's something about hearing a story over and over again about a place you've never been to that is owned by someone you've never met. It intrigues me. 

Lily of the Valley from Pips out of Cold Storage.


I still need to look into how to grow them, but hopefully I'll be able to purchase some pips for our new home.

*The author claims this often with the following flowers: lilacs, ranunculus, peonies, daffodils, lily of the valley, and any flower that happens to be in front of her at the moment. Her absolute claims regarding favorite flowers are not to be trusted.



2 comments:

  1. I love these too! They grew at my great-grandmothers and she'd always let my sisters and I pick some to take home. They always make me think of her. ♥

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    Replies
    1. I love that both of our great-grandmothers grew them! And when I become a great-grandmother, I'll pass on the tradition... :)

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