Lilacs and Lavender

Beautiful scents and colors are in the air as spring has finally "sprung" here!
One of my favorite spring flowers are lilacs.

 Unfortunately several consecutive rain showers really "damaged" my lilacs this year which is such a pity as I adore their scent.

This is a photo taken last year in my backyard with a lilac branch and Royal Albert's Blossom Time Series Lilac teacup.

Many of last summer's vacations provided me with the opportunity to visit various tearooms. I didn't get the chance to share this wonderful garden and tea experience until now.



Another purple hued flower I enjoy is lavender.
While visiting Portland, Oregon I came across a brochure advertising a lavender cutting farm in Hillsboro. I was so intrigued. We enjoy fruit picking, but I've never cut lavender before.



My mom and I drove to Helvetia Lavender Farm and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon picking lavender and relaxing at the tea pavilion.



So peaceful to see all of this land.


  
I didn't realize there were so many varieties of lavender.





Lavender cutters are directed to take a basket and read the directions on the sign.
Bees were everywhere but not aggressive.




After cutting in almost 100 degree temperatures, we happily made our way to the tea pavilion where we ordered lavender lemonade.


Tea Pavilion 

It would be nice to come back for tea when the weather is not quite so hot. This was my first outdoor tearoom I have ever visited.



Somethings just go together: gardens and tea time.



Would love to recreate this wheel barrel teacup scene in my backyard.




Fortunately the lavender was in good condition after my flight. I placed it in a vase by my bed (without water as instructed) and had several nights of great sleep.

Enjoy these early days of spring,
Nora

(Apologies for spacing issues. Text wouldn't center for some reason this week.)

Bring your favorite teacup to the following parties:












Comments

  1. I so miss the scent of lilacs, Nora. I don't see them here in Texas, but had them in Ohio and Michigan. I wish I could breathe in the lovely lavender scent that you picked and to see the gorgeous fields of it. The wheelbarrow planted with teacups was something that I'd li,e to create, also. Love Your teacup!

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  2. Sorry to hear that your lilacs didn't do well this season because of the rain. I used to have lavender by my front walkway, but they gave up the ghost a few seasons back. My thumb? Not so green!

    Thanks for sharing your fun trip to the pretty lavender farm. I love the tea party in a barrow!

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  3. Hi Nora: What a fun day! I can just smell the lilacs. Have a wonderful week. Blessings, Martha

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  4. I am forever making lavender sachets. It is the very best of herbs.
    Amalia
    xo

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  5. Love your teacup...I love lilacs as well, and ours here are just budding leaves. So glad you got to go to a lavender farm! We are in what has been called the Lavender Capital of North America, and have a huge lavender festival in July. There are 30 lavender farms within a 15 mile radius here...and 3 downtown storefronts are from lavender farms! I Love the smell! Have a wonderful...and fragrant week...and thanks for linking to Tuesday Cuppa Tea!
    Ruth

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  6. Hi Nora,
    Oh I do like your pretty lilac teacup and your beautiful lilac beside it. Is it a Royal Albert teacup? My lilacs are not in bloom yet and I can't wait until they are and so I can bring a bouquet inside. Your summer pics are lovely. April Blessings! Karen

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  7. Your lilac teacup is just beautiful, Nora! Oh, I do love lilacs too. We never see them until June here on the Island. Everything is really late here with such a short growing season but I have to be honest, there is no other place I would rather be in the summertime! PEI is a little haven when the weather is good. The lavender farm must have been heavenly and I think it would be lovely to sit and have tea in an outdoor tea room. I really enjoyed your post and thank you for sharing with us.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  8. Hi, I just came across your post at No Place Like Home and it couldn't be more timely. We are hoping to take a trip to Oregon this summer, we go there every chance we get, and I will certainly put the lavender farm on my list. My lilacs are thriving this year. We have been in such a drought here in California that I didn't think they would, but they have started blooming in between the rain we are now getting and so far they are holding up. I also have a couple of beautiful lavender plants also so hope they do well this year. Thank you for the information..Happy Tuesday..Judy

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  9. Hi Nora! What lovely purple tinted post. Your lavender experience looked so relaxing and the wheel barrel tea garden really was spectacular!

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  10. I love fragrant lavender, it is so romantic! Your teacup fit perfectly with this pretty purple post. :)
    The tea "scene" is lovely, I agree! Happy Spring!

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  11. Oh, Nora, what a perfect day (save the hot weather though) I love to cut lavender and love outdoor tea rooms!

    The first time I ever saw lavender fields was in Grasse, France just before harvest time - it will remain one of the best memories of my lifetime. We spent the day touring a Parfumerie (Perfume Factory) there too. Such a neat experience!

    I keep lavender sachets on my bed's night stand - anything that can help us sleep better is a good thing, right?

    Thanks for your visit and sweet comments.

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  12. Oh, Nora, what a perfect day (save the hot weather though) I love to cut lavender and love outdoor tea rooms!

    The first time I ever saw lavender fields was in Grasse, France just before harvest time - it will remain one of the best memories of my lifetime. We spent the day touring a Parfumerie (Perfume Factory) there too. Such a neat experience!

    I keep lavender sachets on my bed's night stand - anything that can help us sleep better is a good thing, right?

    Thanks for your visit and sweet comments.

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  13. Hi Nora, lilacs are also one of my favorite Spring flowers, so fragrant! Lavender smells wonderful too!

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  14. Hi Nora, lilacs are also one of my favorite Spring flowers, so fragrant! Lavender smells wonderful too!

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  15. Dear Nora:
    I loved your post sharing this lovely Lilac Cup and Saucer and your visit to the Lavender farm - this was featured today on my blog. Have a great weekend and congratulations.

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Thank you for visiting today and taking the time to write a comment. Both are much appreciated.
Nora