To Pick or Not to Pick: That is the Question

If you read what I wrote yesterday, or happened upon this post I wrote two years ago about the Lilac Festival at the Royal Botanical Gardens here in Hamilton, you’ll know that I heart lilacs. They have a special place in my memories. I also really miss being able to walk down the street and clip and armful of blooms to scatter around the house. Wild lilacs just don’t seem to exist in Hamilton. Up until tonight, every single lilac bush I’ve seen has been firmly planted on someone’s private property or in the Lilac Dell at the RBG. It’s generally frowned upon clipping from either option. 

By the way, I learned something really interesting about ‘Wild’ Lilacs yesterday while at the RBG: There is technically no such thing as a Wild Lilac in Canada. Lilacs are NOT native to our country, and they don’t really spread by seed – so every group of lilacs out in fields or forests was originally imported and planted by a homesteader. 

On our family walk in a very old cemetery this evening, my husband pointed out that the side of the hill just down the railroad tracks is COVERED IN LILACS.  eeek!

I mean, LOOK at them all!

So here’s my dilemma. Do I make my way down the side of the tracks to the lilac grove? It’s not technically private property, but neither is it especially open to the public…. but all those lilacs just growing there, not being enjoyed by anyone!  What a waste. 

Help, please! Should I pick up a basket and the pruning shears?? Or avoid the possible trespassing and leave the beauties to remain as-is in their God-given location? 

The following two tabs change content below.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Jenn vanOosten

I live in Hamilton, Ontario, and love my city. I'm a Netflixer, choral music geek, bookworm, inventor of recipes (I take Artistic Licence on EVERYTHING that I make), wife of one, mother of two, and owner of a neurotic Schnauzer. I respect people who respect others. I love good food that's well done, but my favourite lunch is KD & hotdogs. With ketchup. I'm addicted to Clearance Shopping. I will ALWAYS get the product that I want at the price that I want, eventually.

Latest posts by Jenn vanOosten (see all)

• How I Epically Failed the #RenewLife 30 Day Challenge… and Why that Failure is Helping Me Kick Off a Great 2018 - January 8, 2018
• What to Watch on Netflix: Jenn’s Top Picks from 2017 #StreamTeam - January 2, 2018
• I’ll take my Netflix To Go, Please! - December 5, 2017