In the Garden: Lilacs

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Sensation

Ever hear of a new sensation that's old? I have, and I'll explain after a few.

Memorial Day weekend is the start of the growing season here in Maine. One of the things I like about this weekend is the lilac festival held every year at McLaughlin Gardens, it starts the Saturday before Memorial day and runs until Tuesday. I believe its the only lilac festival in the state of Maine.

Bernard McLaughlin was truly an amazing gentleman. His homestead [was] is in the heart of South Paris at one of the busiest intersections in town. It is a century old farmhouse complete with a red barn and has two acres of garden land. Behind the barn is one of Maine's premiere wildflower and fern gardens.

Bernard McLaughlin started his gardens in 1936 with no formal horticultural training and single handedly tended his beds of mature hostas, phlox, daylillies, astilbes, iris, sedum, cimicifuga, sempervirums and over 2oo varieties of lilacs beneath a canopy of deciduous a

nd coniferous trees. At one point, the farm, with its splendid garden, was opened to the public. Bernard did this at a cost of no fee, just a small donation box nailed to a post at the opening pathway.

A 20 year writer for DownEast magazine, Jane Lamb, recently published a book titled Master Gardeners of Maine. She dedicates it to many gardeners, Bernard McLaughlin being one. She writes: "Bernard McLaughlin who died in 1995 at the age of 98" thought "the secret of a long healthy life.......[was] is found in

the garden." Interestingly she also dedicates her book to Currier McEwen who started gardening almost by accident in 1956 and spent the next 45 years developing spectacular iris hybrids. My mom has spoke of him as he was a long time resident of her area. Curiously enough, Mr. McEwen died at the age of 102.

The McLaughin Foundation has assumed the functions of Bernard's estate since 1996, its main mission is to keep the 20th century garden with all of its integrity, preserve the 19th century home and barn, and to create an educational center where horticulturists, hobbyists, and enthusiastic gardeners can experience all of the senses of life. The foundation, a nonprofit organization, has established a tea room where coffee and

pastries are served. A gift shop that retails books, cards, prints and clothing. They have onsite volunteers that manage and run plant sales, rental of the facility for wedding and birthdays, and conduct many instruction workshops during the summer months. The educational center is a library that contains over 1000 books relating to gardening and botany, many of them being from Mr. McLaughlin's collection and many of them being donated. The Stephen and Tabitha King foundation has pledged funds to the library. The foundations infrastructure is a board of directors and a volunteer advisory committee who have worked very hard to open the garden gates to the public, and still .....admission is free.

All the pictures of the lilacs are photos I took on a trip to town on Memorial day. The garden was full and had no parking places......so most of the pictures are in the back of the garden. I was very surprised to see the two people sitting so close to the lilacs and wondered if they were volunteers weeding the area. One of the nice ladies asked if I wanted her to move and that's when I saw they were having a picnic!! Apparently they had the same idea as us. The two pictures before the last one (the one with the lady) are photos from the intersection/parking area and it is the front of the garden. You can just see the farmhouse off to the left. The last picture is of a rose lilac....interesting.

Oh yes, a new sensation that's old? It was developed and sold as a new variety about 15 years ago, named Sensation. It gets to be about six feet tall, and looks ordinary until it opens its flower.......