Feeling the Love

Many years ago when I was first married, my Mum gave me a Wisteria Vine and planted it at the front of my house so that it could grow over the veranda and form an archway above the main entrance.
The wisteria flourished and wound its way through trellis, wires and even the guttering on the house.
Sadly, my Mum only lived to see it flower about three times and as it flowered for the third time she quietly passed away here, in the front bedroom with the beautiful lavender flowers framing her window at the young age of fifty three.
Thirty five years have flown by. Her grandchildren have grown into adults and have families of their own and still, for about three weeks of the year in late September/ early October we are reminded of my darling Mother by the stunning show of the Wisteria's fragrant lavender flowers .
There have been times when we have had to cut it back ruthlessly as, left wild it can cause serious damage to buildings.
Several years ago when we were having alterations done to the house, I came home one day to find that the contractors had cut it down and pulled out the main root with a tractor. I was devastated, but needn't have worried. By the next Spring it had grown back again.
We now keep it well trimmed and it rewards us bountifully every year.
Unfortunately this is the time of the year when are prone to a lot of wind so before it is fully in blossom I wanted to capture it on film before the flowers are past their best.
The flowers are quickly followed by the foliage which keeps the front of the veranda nicely shaded from the heat of summer.
Thanks Mum!