Last April 13th, I posted this, but without photos, since I was not equipped to put them on the blog back then. I promised some of you to post photos of wisteria - and here they are - along with the re-post from 4-13-05. It is really too bad that I cannot infuse this photo with the aroma of wisteria. It is intoxicating!These vines grow on trees behind a local gas station/convenience store, which I pass often in my daily travels. Believe me when I say that the only time of the year when this place is beautiful is now, when the wisteria is blooming!
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Spring in our area is as near to paradise as I can imagine. First the Bradford pear trees bloom and then drop their petals like snow flurries in the wind, while forsythia spreads yellow cheer as bright as sunshine. Then redbuds, dogwoods and azaleas all bloom at about the same time, and just as the daffodils are fading, the tulips open in a blaze of glory.
For the last 10 days or so, the wisteria vines have been coming on strong. Wisteria does not grow where I grew up, so the first time I saw the real thing was after moving to NC. I have been captivated by it, however, since I was in college and bought an art print of a wisteria branch by a Japanese artist. The art print surely pales in comparison to the real vine, which is God's gift to human eyes. The lavender/purple blossoms dangle lazily and sensually from arching and twisted vines, swaying in the wind, almost capable of hypnotizing the viewer. The ironic thing about wisteria is that it will overtake and kill anything which it finds to support its weight, sort of like kudzu vines. I can forgive wisteria anything, since it is so beautiful, but kudzu be damned for its saphrophytic nature!
32 comments:
What a beautiful description. You should post a picture! I would love to see your Spring paradise, as it's still pretty barren here in Boston.
Just wanted to drop by to thank you for visiting my site and leaving a comment while I was "it" last week.
~Zee
Thank you both for the kind comments. If I knew how to post photos, I'd be doing it. Maybe someday soon I'll have time to scan some and figure out how to get them into the post.
Wow. Sounds lovely. In London all the cherry blossom trees are in full bloom, they look lovely and so, so white. When the wind blows the petals fall to the ground in big swirls, like snow drifts. Beautiful. Can't wait for summer to arrive though.
By the way, I got here via Michele's comment game.
http://kimbofo.typepad.com
I just love Wisteria, Judy, but I don't have any at my house. I keep meaning to cut some slips and grow it but first I need to build a trellis--and that never seems to happen. Maybe eventually...
Your Wisteria looks just beautiful, Judy. I am quite jealous!
My neighbor, who was from Mississippi planted Wisteria in the back yard here in Wisconsin. Beleive it or not it blooms but not until fall. The smell is heavenly. I can't wait for our lilacs to bloom that's when I know spring is here to stay! Thanks for visiting this morning, I do love to think about spring :o).
You've making me homesick! This is a beautiful month in NC--growing up on the coast with Azaleas everywhere or traveling inland witht he dogwoods on the edge of every field, the Wisteria in the backyard...
Up here, there are green shoots coming up out of the ground and yesterday the sky spit snow.
Very very nice. I think about growing wisteria, even though it's more of a challenge in our colder climate. I'm always a little leery because once it takes hold it can be invasive. Beautiful pictures, though. Have you thought about downloading a "scratch n sniff" button for your sidebar?
Ohhh...I LOVE Wisteria! When I first moved to Charlotte, I was amazed the first spring...it was like a fairyland!
I so love spring here in NC :)
I wanted to let you know that due to an online stalker/jerk I have a new blog URL and am not signing my posts as 'Ash'(Five Crows)...it is now Jae :)
Thanks for your stops by...I'll keep coming here and hope you come by the new place!
I tried to leave a comment earlier today, but could not get through to the comments.
Now, I can, so all is okay.
Wisteria is so beautiful. It makes me think of Desperate Housewives who live on Wisteria Lane. I actually think Kudzu looks pretty too, but I've never lived where I had to contend with it.
Oh I love Wisteria!!! It so beautiful dripping down!! One of the floral shops I worked at had Wisteria all around it, so when it bloomed we would go out and cut fresh wisteria for our arrangements! Talk about beautiful!
Oh yeah I love this stuff. Its blooming out everywhere and its so beautiful.
Wisteria is truly beautiiful and you are so fortunate to be in an area where it is so abundant.
This has been a weird spring on our desert. It has been cloudy and gloomy and even the beautiful little golden poppies and other desert flowers are not blooming.
Those wisteria are beautiful!!
Oh,my!! Wisteria is a favorite of mine too!!
Our spring here in Ocala, Fl is earlier than yours, so our Wisteria is about over, as are the Azaleas and wild plum and DogWood!We have all of those on our property and also Cherokee Roses-and wild Phlox (of spring flowers)
BTW-The past few weeks I have posted a lot of spring pics on my site too!
Spring - the most beautiful time of year!
June
Don't worry about not being able to play along, Judy... I don't get it either! I'm sure I did it 90% wrong, but I wanted to comply and play along. :-)
You make me so jealous... Flowers don't really come for us until the end of April and into May. We truely are "April Showers Bring May Flowers". Beautiful picture!
Wisteria is not very happy at this altitude but the kids have been very determined---wisteria is everybody's favorite---and a great shade plant for arbors once it gets acclimated.
This year promises to be the best ever---lots of mulch and a good drip system. though I doubt our arbors will ever achieve the divine decadence in your photos! Thanks for sharing.
Kenju, will you send me your email address? I can't find it on your blog. Or perhaps you're trying to avoid me:)
lucyd
mucholderthanu@yahoo.com
GORGEOUS photos!Thanks for sharing them with us Judy!
Lovely photos judy, did you find out how to publish them or did you scan them?
I haven't seen wisteria yet but there was some last year so I expect it soon. Pilgrimage is going strong in Mississippi and I expect the wisteria is thick there along with the azaleas, dogwood and the tulips. Love wisteria, wish it were over our back fence instead of the neighbor's.
Wow, what a beautiful photo! I can just imagine how beautiful your spring is. We're all clinging to every degree above 50 here!
Michele sent me today Judy. Hope you're having a great day!
Wow, your visteria is just gorgeous!
And thanks so much for visiting my blog. You are welcome, as always!
I absolutely LOVE Wisteria, you don't see it as much around here like we did back home.
Did you know that Kudzu has beautiful purple fragrant blooms as well? You have to find someone brave enough to stick their hand in there to find one of the long flowers. They make jelly with it here.
Oh...you make me so sad and lonely for the wonderful south! We had an out of control wisteria vine in Georgia. It was planted by the neighbors to "climb" their lattice...they didn't keep it trim and it just overtook the huge loblolly pines around it...and crept into our yard...I LOVED the smell and sight of the wisteria blooms...that, honeysuckle and gardenia will always remind me of the best place I lived - Augusta, GA.
Thanks for visiting my blog today!
Oh, the Wisteria are just gorgeous! I'm looking for more things to plant in my garden and I'm adding that one. Also the Red Buds...there's some here on the island and they're JUST beautiful!
Nice photos and post.
It's snowing here today in NYC!
Judy, that wisteria is beautiful! I haven't seen it here, locally. I miss our Bradford Pear tree, it had the most beautiful blooms before an idiot tenant damaged it and it died.
And now I'm off to look up "saphrophytic" and check to see if you made it up! ;) j/k!
Wow-so pretty. Pictures and descriptions like these give me hope that spring really is coming, even when I awoke to snow on the ground this morning in upstate NY.
A good example how a beautiful plant can transform a place. Wonderful pics, Judy!
My wisteria is still very small. I can't wait for it to grow giant!
I love purple and purple flowers like wisteria, irises, lilacs, and more. Even the name wisteria, said out loud, evokes such emotion. Adore the photos and write up!
I love wisteria. There's a charming little restaurant near my house named Wisteria...a favorite of mine.
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