Pearle’s Perspective #03: Lavender Blue Dilly Dilly
President Lincoln Lilac
Dear Friends,
It’s lilac and wisteria season. The color of the wisteria and smell of the lilac scream spring to me and brighten even the darkest of days.
When lilacs arrive at the flower market or Trader Joe’s, I buy as many as I can while they are in season from mid-April to early May. I love the smell of those little lilac buds wafting through my home. Stopping by my vases every now and again to take a big whiff. It reminds me of home.
When I was a kid I’d ride my bike around the neighborhood in Spring, looking for lilacs to smell. My favorite lilac variety is ‘President Lincoln.’ Maybe because it's the most familiar to me, but more than that it is the deepest blue of all lilac varieties. Lilacs were abundant in Illinois and other cold winter locations because they need a period of cold-initiated dormancy to trigger flowering. They do not do well in California, but luckily my other favorite, the Wisteria does well here.
As I sit in my yard listening to the birds and laying on my sofa staring at my Wisteria vine It almost seems to be growing in front of my eyes. When designing the landscaping of my yard I insisted upon lavender-colored flowering plants in my yard; all other colors just seemed so abrupt and not the mellow, relaxing feeling I was going for.
LEFT: Wisteria in my yard
RIGHT: Wisteria in the Marais
I snapped this photo in Paris, where a full wisteria bloom spills over a fence along my favorite little shortcut in the Marais, just off Place des Vosges. Closer to home, the otherwise unremarkable Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles gets its own seasonal glow-up when wisteria vines bloom along the fence outside CBS Studios. For a few short weeks, they hide the chain-link fence with a dreamy lavender veil.
When the blooms burst open and the scent of lavender fills the air, my love for all things lavender-colored kicks into full gear. And without fail, as soon as the season starts, the soundtrack in my head begins: Burl Ives, in his warm folksy voice, singing “Lavender Blue, dilly dilly…”
The song, featured in the 1948 Walt Disney film So Dear to My Heart, was even nominated for an Oscar for Song of the Year. I only know the first couple of verses—and I have no idea who introduced me to it—but it stuck.
I can’t always remember what day of the week it is, but somehow, I can recall a Burl Ives tune on demand. Should I be concerned?
DESIGN
I just wrapped an office refresh for one of my longest-standing clients. She’s fun and loves the color lavender too. So it’s a win/win. We layered in a dark lavender rug and some beautiful Kerry Joyce textiles in soft shades of violet and lavender.
Vintage Wedgewood
To finish the space, we styled her desk and bookcases with a collection of vintage Wedgewood in lavender—useful for corralling supplies and the perfect pop of color. Gorgeous and practical.
I am furious that I lost out on this amazing vintage lavender oil painting during a live auction. I thought I had it in the bag but missed out at the last minute. Someone very skilled went in for the kill and I am still pouting. The scale is beyond magnificent at 67” in length. I was envisioning it in more than one client's home. I am always hunting and this one stung when I lost it to someone else. You win some. You lose some.
Kerry Joyce textiles
FASHION
Of course lavender shoes are on my spring wishlist. I also found some gorgeous handbags and the perfect lightweight cashmere sweater. Just a pop of this color in your OOTD, and you’ll instantly brighten up even the most mundane day.
DRIES VAN NOTEN
75 leather sandals
TORY BIRCH
Cashmere Silk Sweater
JW ANDERSON
Small Jwa Corner Bag 748 Lavender
DRIES VAN NOTEN
Strappy Curved-Heel Sandals
ENTERTAINING
I love al fresco entertaining, and I’m already picturing a spring afternoon or evening surrounded by lavender plants, lilacs spilling over my McCoy Pottery vases, and with that vision I am going to treat myself to a few new lavender touches for my tablescape. I’m not even going to look at dishware—because with 13 sets already in the house, if another one shows up, my husband will have me living outside among the wisteria...and whatever new plates I’ve adopted.
SPIRITUALITY
If you know, you know—lavender is more than just a pretty scent. Its special qualities work for the mind, body, and spirit. Just one whiff of lavender oil can make you almost calm enough to sit through the evening news.
Personally, I’m all in: lavender hand cream, soap, and hand sanitizer are part of my daily rotation. I inhale the scent after each use for an instant hit of calm. At home, I light lavender candles and toss lavender-scented salts into the bath. It’s my go-to ritual for relaxing and resetting.
Clockwise from top left: Los Poblanos Farm, Los Poblanos Lavender Salve, 111 Elm Bath Salts, Trader Joe’s Lavender Hand Sanitizer Spray
Still on the fence about adding lavender to your routine? Here’s a quick list of its benefits to win you over:
Tranquility and Calm:
Lavender's soothing aroma is widely recognized for its ability to ease anxiety and promote relaxation, making it a valuable tool for cultivating inner peace.
Intuition and Higher Consciousness:
Its connection to the crown chakra, linked to higher consciousness, spiritual awakening, and enlightenment, suggests that lavender can help open the mind to spiritual insights and wisdom.
Protection and Purification:
In folklore and spiritual practices, lavender is believed to ward off negative energy and evil spirits, offering protection and cleansing.
Spiritual Cleansing:
The Latin word "lavare," meaning to wash, reflects lavender's historical use in spiritual cleansing rituals, symbolizing purification and renewal.
Feminine Wisdom:
The symbolism of lavender essence touches the archetype of feminine wisdom, suggesting that it can help tap into intuitive and compassionate aspects of oneself.
Even if I skip the essential oil, hand soap, etcetera, I think wearing my lavender shoes will definitely spark some Divine Feminine Wisdom in my life. A shoe purchase with purpose. I have died and gone to heaven.
xoxo
P & P