Lily of the Valley

Yesterday morning I walked over to the library to pick up my reserve of Neal Stephenson's Quicksilver. (An excellent book, by the way, if you happen to like scientific science-fiction set in the past.) The gardens along my walking route are all beautifully in bloom. There are still a few stray tulips, thanks to the chilly weather, and irises are starting to make their appearance. I've also rediscovered an old favourite, the lily-of-the-valley.

When I was younger, from about kindergarten to grade five, we lived in a house who's front and side gardens were totally inundated with lily-of-the-valley. Their scent was a big part of my childhood, but I had all but forgotten it until recently. Now I can't get enough of it, especially when it is beautifully mixed with the scent of a nearby lilac tree. (We also had one of those at that house.) I want to rush out to the local Crabtree and Evelyn and buy their entire stock of lily-of-the-valley scented items. I want to plant some outside my window, even though it isn't my garden to plant in. They bring back such happy memories, and I am so glad I discovered their beauty and their scent again.

Image stolen from somewhere on the harvard.edu site