Lilac (Syringa Vulgaris)

The perfume of my Lilac was heady but so beautiful as I was taking photographs of it in the rain this afternoon.
The Lilac a member of the Olive family, was introduced from SE Europe and grown as an ornamental shrub.
In flower lore it symbolises love, whereas in Greece, Lebanon and Cyprus is it associated with Easter because it flowers around that time and is consequently called paschalia.
My mother always believed it was unlucky to bring Lilac blossom indoors and forbade my sister to decorate the country church with it when she was married during the 60's!