Muscari racemosum

[vaneramos]

Grape hyacinths remind me of Mom, not so much because she liked them, but because I did. I have always preferred beauty that is delicate and understated to that which is showy. Besides, I can't resist a blue flower. When I was a little boy, whenever we visited a garden centre or ordered seeds Mom would let me choose something. When we bought bedding plants in spring I would usually choose pansies or Portulaca. In the fall bulb catalogues I gravitated to grape hyacinths. Funny thing is, I don't like them as much anymore. They look like candy with too much sugar and food colouring. But they still bring back memories of helping Mom plant bulbs in the fall. While she arranged clumbs of tulips and daffodils, I would stick the miniature hyacinth bulbs in a row along the front of the border.

My parents don't care for hot weather, so they prefer to retreat to the cottage after July 1. They don't put much work into the summer garden, because after they leave they must rely on neighbours to give it a minimum of maintenance. But up until June the garden at Poplar Bluff is resplendent. I miss seeing it this time of year. Mom is particularly fond of daffodils—she has hundreds of them—and irises. She likes the heady aroma of showy hyacinths, too.

She even has a few grape hyacinths. I wonder if they reminder her of me?

Comments

[laura-borealis.livejournal.com]

That's a beautiful photo. Grape hyacinths remind me of early childhood, because we had masses of them in the front flowerbed of our house. I used to think they actually were tiny grapes.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

That's a happy childhood idea; I just hope you didn't try to eat them. ;-)

[laura-borealis.livejournal.com]

:) I tasted a lot of things as a child... grass, sand, rich black dirt (which did not taste like Oreos, like I expected). I don't remember eating grape hyacinths, but I probably tried them.

[kwangjse.livejournal.com]

They are properly named...I could eat them!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

You're not the first person who made that comment. I never wanted to eat them. Mother instilled in me early the impression that some plants are poisonous, and it didn't occur to me until later that some might be edible and delicious.

[eloquentwthrage.livejournal.com]

I also have memories of home an grape hyacinths. I wonder if that's a generational thing.

Irises are my favorite. Their beauty is so exquisite and fleeting.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Irises are just about my favourite, too. I love their intricacy.

Hyacinths

[perkk.livejournal.com]

I could not remember what these flowers were called. Thank you. I have fond memories from my youth of my mother grilling me as to what exactly had I gotten into to cause such stains on my trouser cuffs. First thing in the morning, when its dewy about, these can stain things blue.

Re: Hyacinths

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Wow, I can't say I have ever gone wading through dewy grape hyacinths. I can imagine your mother's befuddlement. ;-)