sensation lilacs with champagne roses, mock orange, ninebark and parrot tulips

spring in nyc seems to turn into summer within a few weeks time and the transition feels even faster now that i'm older. i suppose that's the benefit of having a garden further north; at least we get to hold onto spring for a bit longer.

i was perusing the flower market over the weekend, mostly to prepare for a wedding later this month. with my eyes full of hope, i stopped shop after shop asking whether flowering branches (any other than mountain laurel -- color doesn't work) would be around. give me something, people -- viburnum, spirea, lilacs (no hope of that)! all i got is check in two weeks beforehand. boo! i have a back-up plan but flowering branches make large arrangements so effortless and so good.

i couldn't walk away empty-handed though. there were bales and bales of beautiful lilacs from canada and i had to grab a bunch. and then i had a moment with my lilacs. i pressed them against my nose and i took a deep yoga-style inhale. their perfume is so perfect. these sensation lilacs are sensational.