Sunday, May 1, 2016

Lilies of the Valley In a Blue Vase

A small house in my neighborhood will soon be torn down, destined to be replaced by something larger and more up to date. Every spring, in the shady side yard of that house, a tidy bed of lilies of the valley unfurl their leaves, revealing stems of aromatic flowers. My grandmother had some in her side yard, a mysterious place, full of moss and sometimes mud, shaded by a huge tree. I always wondered why the flowers drooped and looked so downcast when they were beautiful and carried such a lovely scent. This year, the local lilies of the valley will soon be excavated out of existence. Perhaps I will try to rescue a few plants. My grandmother would surely approve.