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Thursday, April 12, 2012

Celebrating Lilacs


If you are going to be my special houseguest, and I know that your favorite color is lavender, there's going to be a scramble to uncover something suitable enough to please your color sense at my place. This particular hue isn't easily found in my linen or china closet. But lilac season is so inspiring that I managed to remember an item or two.



I've been monitoring the bushes for the precise moment to showcase these blossoms in a post, and today's the day! I'm also sort of celebrating my debut into gardening (small "g"). I have a cluster of new tools in my ancient trug and will be dipping my trowel into a bit of garden dirt on occasion.



Until now, my garden pursuits have tended toward relaxation, and entertainment. Not broken fingernails and sore back muscles. My recent lifestyle has left a little earthworm sized wiggle room in that respect, however, and I've been testing the limits of my vintage metal rake. Who knows where this may lead?  







A vintage fringed barkcloth tablecloth picks up both the colors of the lilacs, and the muddy-colored garden walls. (Another post with this tablecloth is HERE.) I tend to use stronger colors outside. The quilted underlayer is the more sedate side of a vintage patchwork quilt.









A little mix of weathered wood and lace finishes things off.


















































I have a new dandelion digger. . . . Anyone care to join me? . . . anyone? . . . If only weeding was as fun and easy as growing lilacs! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the show!

Jacqueline



Join me at

50 comments:

  1. Lovely setting.And those lilacs are gorgeous.My lilacs are barely blooming.This is my second year with them.They may need to relocated.
    Anne

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  2. I love lilacs and love yours. I have several in our backyard. I just wished they bloomed all year.

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  3. Oh, I definitely enjoyed "the show"!
    I've made our lilacs the background on my garden blog.

    I love the way you've "staged" here with yours...I believe that the only thing better than the sight of them is the SCENT of them!

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  4. Oh, I would love to be able to grow lilacs! Our closest substitute is crepe myrtles but they don't come close. Your outdoor setting is lovely. I hope you do get the gardening "bug". There is just nothing more rewarding in my book, unless it is keeping the garden journal!

    Betty

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  5. The lilacs are beautiful. Your table- scape is beautiful. As to the dandelions...I'm very much interested in making dandelion syrup or jelly.

    I've got my own dandelions to harvest though!

    have fun gardening.

    I find it rewarding, Pat

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  6. Jacqueline: Of course, don't you know that with beauty comes toil?!! You sure have a good start on the beauty. I love the whole post and the star, lilacs, are gorgeous. Mine are still small sprouts of leaves and teeny, tiny buds. But looks like might be a good crop. Keep fingers crossed..Happy Thursday..Judy

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  7. All your photos are gorgeous. Lilacs were my mother's favorite flower...I can never look at them and not think of her:):)The fringed table cloth is so beautiful. Smiles, Susie(She Junks)

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  8. What a beautiful post with my favorite things, lilac's and outdoor garden items.

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  9. These photos are so pretty. I love how you arranged everything around the beautiful lilacs and the rustic look of the metal and wood. Have a great day! Pamela

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  10. I picked a bouquet of lilacs yesterday - what a joyous smell!! Sally

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  11. Hi J,
    Well I am excited and Welcoming your debut (with a BIG W!). Think of all the fun new things to buy and collect, haha!! Love your Lilacs and am jealous (small j) mine are still tight 2" buds.... The smell of lilacs (the color!!) Mmmmm... Ahhh!! Your full vignette pics are perect, stunning! Happy weeding to you, my dandelions are thriving and calling my name today!
    Hugs,
    Bella

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  12. Oh, how pretty! I've always wanted to grow lilacs, what a spring treat. Your set up in the garden is lovely! Beautiful vignette on the table!

    XO,
    Jane

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  13. I hope you enjoy your time gardening, Jacqueline. I love getting up very early in the morning to work in the garden. Your lilacs are so beautiful. Mine are just setting their buds now but won't be blooming for several weeks yet. By the way, I have an old knitting bag with wooden handles that is made of that exact bark cloth! I'll try to take a picture of it for you.

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  14. Just a few more weeks and my lilacs will be blooming too! Thank you for sharing yours with your gorgeous photos...they will hold me over until my blooms appear. Love your tablecloth too! :)

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  15. BEAUTIFUL, Jacqueline!

    Your lilacs there look so much more different than mine here. They are much larger blossoms and aren't blooming yet - usually is early June - but will be earlier due to an early spring....but it got down to 29 last night, so I think there may be problems, we'll see.

    Your gardenscape is lovely.

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  16. Your lilacs are to die for and I love the container they are in. What an inviting place to spend time.

    Gretchen

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  17. Hellooooo Jacqueline...
    Although I LoVe your B*E*A*U*T*I*F*U*L Fresh Lilacs, My Eye is drawn to the Rusty-White-Chair!*!*!
    Jeanine Burkhardt

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  18. I enjoyed the show

    lilacs are always so pretty this time of year and your display is gorgeous
    love the table setting
    I worked in the yard Tuesday all day and enjoyed it so much

    beautiful show and tell post

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  19. Lovely post-great show of lavender and lilacs!

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  20. Just LOVED it!! makes me want to get all the crochet work that my mother in law did out and make some pretty designs!! I loved the lilac also . it will be a while before ours is out in Wales1 Made me feel quite nostalgic!
    Such a lovely set of photos! Joan

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  21. Beautiful show! Everything looks perfect-so pretty!
    -Lynn

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  22. The "show" was gorgeous. You really have the knack of putting together a photo shoot. Love the colors in your tablecloth, and of course the lilacs are so pretty. I'm waiting for mine to bloom.
    Mary Alice

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  23. Oh my goodness, that one photo looks like a still life in a little french country garden! Charming!

    And...Good luck with your foray into the dirt and worms and trowels... smile

    Cindy

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  24. The lilacs are just gorgeous! Your green thumb is definitely showing.
    Ahhh, I can just smell them now!
    Hugs,
    Patti

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  25. Beautiful, Jacqueline...I love the color of the lilacs with the flower basket...

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  26. Beautiful vignette Jacqueline! My lilacs are blooming too-yay! Enjoy the gardening it can be fun:@)

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  27. Love the lilacs. I've been picking a couple of blooms to bring inside every day or so. Heavenly fragrance!
    The lace and old wood are gorgeous and the little old chair is wonderful.

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  28. Lilacs are a favorite of mine. Gorgeous pictures, as always.

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  29. Perhaps soon you will be a complete garden freak like me and plant fifty plants like I did recently and nearly killed myself but please find time for these dauntingly beautiful vignettes. Never stop.

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  30. If those lilacs are any indication....your garden will be beautiful.

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  31. Oh my gosh, I LOVE lilacs! I can practically smell them! : - )
    Beautiful setting. Simply charming!

    Danielle xo

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  32. Gorgeous post...love the lilacs and they way you styled your images.

    Jermaine

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  33. I definitely enjoyed the show. I adore lilacs and can't wait for them to bloom here. The smell of lilacs on a spring day ... one of my favorite simple pleasures in life.

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  34. Beautiful--I can smell them from here!

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  35. Love your photo's!
    Greetings from the Netherlands
    groetjes Heidi

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  36. Such a lovely "lilac" post Jacqueline.
    I am not familiar with the flower. I would like to find out if they could grow here! What a beautiful plant
    Love your tablecloth.
    the little garden chair adds to the scene..
    val

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  37. My g is even smaller than yours when it comes to gardening! But it would be fun to visit and learn along side you! Next to hydrangeas, lilacs are second favorite, both in lovely shades of lavendar of course!
    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  38. I always love your photos. It's not yet time for lilacs here but soon. Last year, I planted a 'Bloomerang' by a bench near the front door so that whenever I come home, I can benefit from their scent. I really hope they come into full bloom this season.

    My dear neighbour, Joanne, loooves to weed. I can come home at any time and find her weeding in my garden. Am I lucky?! Lol

    Cheers,
    Linda at Beautiful Ideas

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  39. What lovely vignettes and good to see all done outside as my mother always told me it is unlucky to take lilac into the house!

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  40. Lilacs are so gorgeous. I wish I wasn't so darned allergic to them :)

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  41. That little vignette makes me want to sit outside with a book. The green bucket with its twisted metal handle is wonderful filled with lilacs!

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  42. Great pictures you show.
    Wishing you a great pink Saturday.
    Hanne Bente / hbt.finus.dk

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  43. I'm going around visiting everyone on today's PINK SATURDAY list.....with my hot cup of coffee, of course! Just wanted to let you know that I was here! Have yourself a great weekend, and stop by my place if you've the time!

    ciao bella
    Creative Carmelina
    xo

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  44. that green container basket is just so wonderful. love the play of the lavender lilacs against it. and that barkcloth tablecloth. LOVE it!!

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  45. Absolutely gorgeous post!
    ~Angie

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  46. Every image is just beautiful, so soft, so relaxing. You are talented in staging your display and they are so enjoyable to look at. Thanks for sharing.

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  47. Beautiful snapshots. Lilacs are my absolute favorite flowers. Our bush is just beginning to fill out, but the clear crisp evening air is already full of the wonderful scent.

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  48. Lilacs are my favorite, so, of course I love this post. And, your photography......gorgeous. I could almost smell the blooms.

    Im now following you and hope you'll come visit me at http://PickinandPaintin.blogspot.com and maybe you'll decide to follow back. THANKS.

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