lilac time!

our Geordie cleaning lady said it was because a mother was putting lilac in a vase indoors when she got the letter announcing her son had been killed in the war... whether that is the reason, I do not know.

Went to French garden centre to buy a double white lilac on Saturday and they had run out- will look around.

I had lilac in my bouquet when I got married, My mum was convinced I would not be allowed in the church! Never had a lilac bush, but feel I should make the effort to buy one now, although a little late in life!

Flowers are still permitted in various hospitals in the UK, depending on staff decisions. I was referring to West of Scotland mcem

My daughter spent her birthday in hospital last year and when I arrived with DGCs bearing bunches of flowers, I fully expected to have to take them home after handing them over.Was pleasantly surprised when nurse said they could stay and she'd bring a vase ( for the flowers, not the children) She told us it depends on the ward - definite no in respiratory and surgical. Agus that was Ninewells in Dundee.

Sending or taking flowers to a hospital is an absolute no-no now. I have always thought it is such a shame.

When I was nursing, a mix of red and white flowers on the ward was a huge no no. The superstition was it meant a death on the ward.

We still have flowers on the ward in this part of Scotland but they are no longer taken out of the ward overnight as we did.

granjura what a very strange find. Makes you wonder why that happened, who would throw them there?I like rowans, don't have any now but we used to have several at our last address.
I wonder who decided that lilacs indoors were unlucky? or umbrellas indoors come to that?Why are some people superstitious and others not?
Nurses in hospitals used to never mix white and red flowers together , in the days when the nurses took the flowers from visitors and arranged them in a vase of water for patients [ great days eh?] Now you can't even give a patient some flowers at all in the UK.

My rowan trees are very lucky. One day when I was coming back from a countryside walk, I noticed something in the gutter near our Natural Burial ground- I went to investigate, and there were several trees, in pots, lying down in gutter. I went back some weeks later and they were still there- fortunately not dead as it had rained heavily. When I went there again in the autumn, they were still there- so I went to get car and trailor and 'adopted/saved' them. Two rowans, 1 oak and 3 silver birch. Two years later, they made the long journey to the Swiss mountains- 1 silver birch has died- but all others are doing really well. No oaks at this altitude- so I protected oak tree during first two winters, both trunk and head- but no protection for past two years- just coming into leaf now, good lad. Those trees are very special to me.

We have a lilac tree in bloom and the scent wafts around as I walk past it. Its gorgeous.

The older lady who helped me with cleaning when I worked full-time was a lovely Geordie- one day when she came in, she went white and almost strarted to shake, as I had a big vase full of 3 different colour lilac on the dining-room table. She told me it was really unlucky- which I'd never heard before. I took them out as it was clearly upsetting her. It is funny how superstitions change from one country to the next. Black cats can be a lucky or unlucky sign, depending on where.

AKA, me neither, just goes to show eh !
Would not really want any witches round the old homestead !

Laurel leaves in a jug/vase are supposed to be lucky !

Rowan trees keep the witches away we were told as children. It's true too. I have a rowan in my garden and never had a single witch.

mere superstition Ana though the lilac may consider itself unlucky I suppose.

Ooh, no! Supposed to be unlucky (so I've heard)

Everone should have at least one lilac in the garden. There are ones that get huge and ones that stay manageable. I know the flowers don't last all that long, but all the more glorious for that really. The heart shaped leaves are rather nice anyway.A jug of lilac blooms indoors is wonderful.

I've just checked, and the tiny blooms are starting to show. What a relief. It is raining buckets here right now, I keep telling myself "it's good for the garden, especially the trees"

Not quite in flower up in t'mountains yet. We have 3 'bog' standard lilacs here, two we pruned very heavily after flowering last year, and one we will prune this year. I do miss the maginificent specimens we had in our UK garden, 1 double white, 1 deep mauve, and 1 deep purple. I think will purchase a double white when I go to garden centre this week-end.

I didn't realise white lilacs were unusual, that is the colour of mine !

icyalittle thanks for the white lilac that you mention, I will look it up.
The South of England is always going to be ahead [blooming wise] with the garden, but this year all looks so amazing, we are in a dry bit of the country here, and our usual problem is all the watering that has to be done but of course this year, water has been in abundance [raining heavily here today as I write] and all the shrubs/plants/trees seem to be loving it.It's sandy free draining soil, so won't be waterlogged.The only downside to lilacs is that pigeons love the young leaves, when it has finished flowering, and new growth is put on , that's the moment that they strike and can do so much damage you wouldn't believe it! Thankfully the red kites seem to be picking them off in the last couple of years we haven't had as many. We generally hang shiny cd's in the lilacs for a while, the pigeons don't like them.
I like the Spanish bluebells as they are stronger and more vigorous than our native type.The smell of lilacs in the sun after rain is the most wonderful scent ever.Closely followed by roses and honeysuckle .

whoops, a white lilac tree

Thistle - here in the north west of England the bluebells are much earlier than they have been in the last couple of years. The hawthorn is also earlier, but the lilacs are way behind. My tree has been glorious the last couple of years, but currently barely a bud in sight. this thread has prompted me to think about putting awhile lilac tree in the back garden

My lilac tree uprooted when we had heavy snow a couple of years back. (it was on a slope) Must get another one and find a better place for it.

I gave up changing the curtains years ago. Always glad to be able to pull the heavy ones when watching tv.

I have a large old lilac tree in my garden that is only just beginning to bud, long way off for flowering I think. As for bluebells they are only just poking their greenery through the ground, they probably wont flower until late May. Its amazing how far behind we are here in the north of Scotland. My daffodils are still blooming although I noticed a few were beginning to wilt slightly yesterday.