Woodland in Bloom

On a morning in early May, bright with sunshine and unseasonably warm, Riff and I decided to take a drive and visit the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens in Woodland, Washington.  The gardens are a wonderful, serene place to visit in this busy little town on the I-5 corridor. Birds are always chirping, bee's buzzing, and from tine to time, little spring peepers are singing their froggy songs.  We've been there a handful of times and enjoy the visit every time. 

This particular early May visit was once upon a time, but not very long ago. Just this past Saturday in fact.  Mother's Day weekend is a fantastic time to visit.  It is during the couple of weeks known as Lilac Days.  During this festive time is the only time the little farmhouse is open for tours and also the only time that you can purchase starts of so many of the wonderful varieties of lilacs that are grown here. Hulda was a pioneer in propagating so many new varieties of lilacs.  You can read about our first visit and more of Hulda's fascinating story here. 

With the early spring and unseasonably warm weather we've been having, the lilacs were all done blooming for the most part by this past weekend. The gardens were still beautiful.  

There is a variety of lilac grown in this garden called Belle de Nancy. The first year we visited, Nancy wasn't a start that was available to purchase but I vowed to haunt the gardens every year until we could bring Nancy home. This was the year!  I'm so excited to have not one, but TWO baby Belle de Nancy's to nourish and grow!  Yay!!

Here is what here blossoms look like on a full-grown bush.  Light lavender and white double blooms. Absolutely breathtaking!  It will be some time before our baby Nancy's produce blooms like this. I can hardly wait!

Meet our little babies. Aren't the twins adorable?!

May you all be blessed with a magical purple day!