Peonies and Lilacs

~ By Gardnbee ~

Thinking back to my early childhood two plants stand out the most for me and these are the Lilac Tree and the Peony Bush, both of which share our outdoor living space now albeit in different expressions of sameness.

Back then we had a front yard enclosed by a white picket fence (yes, no kidding) with flowers of every imaginative kind growing happily inside the perimeter up to and continuing from a huge Maple tree that grew in the center on the street side and ending at our neighbors iron fence that marked the right side of this garden area when coming out our front door verandah.

Of all the flowering plants that grew around the lawn it was the Peonies that held me entranced with their beauty. I would spend hours admiring their huge blooms, touching their delicate petals and burying my face in them while drinking in their wonderful scents. They blossomed in every shade of pink imaginable, from the palest to the deepest shades and were absolutely beautiful outlined by their green leaves.

In those days I never knew that every part of the Peony, especially its flowers, with the exception of its rootstock was poisonous to the touch, nothing every seemed to make me ill, or bother me in any way with regard to my adoration for them, then or now. I feel our mutual attraction was formed by our love for one another, a love that has remained constant over the many years we have journeyed together and perhaps this aspect held harm from reaching me.

In our backyard the scene was very different being an "outdoor play room" for my two older brothers and me. No grass, no planted flowers of our own except for the odd Dandelion which I loved to pick for "gift giving." This entire area was filled with various toys, my older brother's Pigeon coop, my second older brother's miniature tunnels and bridges for war games and my "Beatrice Potter" set up where I played out fantasies of having tea with Rabbits, Hedgehogs and the like.

However on the entire left side of this area when coming out our back door porch, growing inside the neighbors iron fence, were nothing but Lilac Trees in every shade of purple Nature could create. My little table and chairs were placed as close to the overhanging branches of these Lilac trees as I could get them. I can remember picking just Lilac blossoms that I could reach and sucking the end of them while enjoying their sweetness sometimes for hours on end.

When coming out into our backyard the scent of Lilacs filled the air from morning till night and I never became tired of this nor missed it when their blossoming ceased being so appreciative for what was shared with me. When sitting at my little table and chairs filled with a favorite doll, a favorite bear and me having "tea" I always felt the branches lower a little to envelope me in their embrace and relished the companionship of their presence along with many a Birdsong, visiting Butterfly or soft Wind ruffling my hair that filled my heart with joyful contentment.

I seem to have arrived into this world with a knowing that "all life forms" are capable of feeling, of having consciousness, personality and the ability to communicate, though when younger I would not have explained this in these words but rather moved with the acceptance this was and is for me, even after all these years, the situation simply stated.

         

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