THE LILAC ZONE

Spring was kind of an insane time for me this year for personal reasons, but I still managed to enjoy the lilac season and some great developments occurred throughout that time and the remainder of the year. I was able to visit two local collections and aid friends in the upkeep of their collections. I met and visited the collection of a new friend in New Hampshire and befriended a gentleman that not only shares a love for lilacs but a love for sarcasm as well, which I can truly appreciate. I was able to visit a public garden in Philadelphia twice, enjoying the companionship of its staff during both visits immensely. I was able to procure some lilacs that I have been searching for. And last but certainly not least, I was asked by the International Lilac Society to be a Co-Chairman of their Preservation Committee! 

Spring is here!!!

2018 Update

As I have mentioned before, every year, the International Lilac Society (ILS) holds a convention located in an area of the country or world where there is a large lilac collection. This year, the lilac convention is in Riverside, CA, and is being hosted by a gentleman that in my opinion has one of the most interesting lilac collections in the United States. Unfortunately, I am not going to be able to attend the convention for various reasons. To add insult to injury, there is also an 8-day conference occurring in Moscow and St Petersburg dedicated to the 125th Birthday Anniversary of Leonid Kolesnikov  in late May. Oh, how I would love to be able to attend both of these events. I hate it when the realities of living responsibly get in the way!

​Regardless, I am looking forward to this season for several reasons:

1. I have some exciting smaller trips planned this year, some to entirely new lilac collections to personally meet new friends for the first time and some a return to favorite collections and friends that I have made in the past couple of years. I am looking forward to both immensely.

2. Some of the lilacs that I have waited so patiently to see bloom grew quite a bit in 2017. I am really hoping that this will be the year that they finally produce a bloom or two.

3. Over the past year, I have made some new connections and have some exciting possibilities in the works for acquiring additions to my collection.

4. The winter this year was pretty decent regarding the temps that lilacs need for a good bloom.

I am hoping that spring is an uneventful one weather-wise so that we have a good bloom season. At least it is finally on its way, as the crocus finally started making their appearance this week.