Mothers Day always seems to mean flowers. In addition to cards and visits, Mothers usually receive flowers on their special day. It seems fitting then that Mothers Day arrives when spring has really sprung into full bloom and, with the exception of some places like snowy Colorado, the landscape itself offers up bouquets like gifts from Mother Earth to all the other Moms on earth.
The place to go for a flower fix in Madison on Mothers Day is the University of Wisconsin Arboretum. This is especially true if you love lilacs, crab apples, and magnolias, which are significant contributors to the sights and smells in the Arboretum’s Longenecker Horticultural Gardens this time of year.
My wife and I didn’t make it to the Arboretum together this year but she was there to attend the native plant sale the day before Mothers Day and I took my camera for a walk there the day after Mothers Day. The incredible smell of the lilacs hit me the moment that I opened the car door. It was quite breezy when I was there, which made it more challenging for closeup shots of the flowers. That didn’t affect the beauty of the flowering bushes and trees nor did it lessen my enjoyment of my afternoon stroll.
Unfortunately, lilacs don’t bloom very long, so if you want a wonderful olfactory experience, head out there soon.