Linden tree blossoms are my favorite summer flowers. So of course I had to take some photos of blooming linden trees. I mostly love these flowers because of their amazing fragrance.
Tilia cordata (small-leaved lime, littleleaf linden or small-leaved linden) is the only species of Tilia that is native to my part of Europe. This is also the only species of linden that grows in the wild where I live.
Tilia platyphyllos (largeleaf linden, large-leaved linden or large-leaved lime) cannot be found in the wild here, but these plants are widely cultivated and used as an ornamental tree in parks and city streets.
Then there’s also Tilia × europaea (generally known as the common lime or common linden), which is a naturally occurring hybrid between Tilia cordata (small-leaved linden) and Tilia platyphyllos (large-leaved linden). Here Tilia × europaea doesn’t grow in the wild, but it is also widely cultivated and used as an ornamental tree in parks and city streets.
I’m pretty certain that the plant in these photos isn’t a Tilia cordata, because the leaves were somewhat large, at least larger than those of the wild-growing linden trees that I’m familiar with. Still, I’m not sure which species of linden I photographed. Probably it is either Tilia platyphyllos or Tilia × europaea.
I am not the only one who loves linden flowers. Bees like them too. While I was photographing the tree, a lot of bees were flying around me. Another great thing about linden flowers is that they make really tasty tea. While I was busy taking photos, my boyfriend dutifully picked flowers for me. The last photo shows what is going to be my tea for the next year.
This second batch of photos was taken a week later, in another location. These trees were blooming later and their leaves seemed somewhat smaller. My guess is that the following photos are Tilia cordata, small-leaved linden.
By the way, I find it interesting how different plants appeal to people based upon various criteria. Personally, most of my favorite flowers are the ones that smell nice. The scent of blooming linden trees is amazing, thus they are what I call my favorite summer flowers. My second favorite are Philadelphus coronarius (sweet mock-orange, English dogwood), which is a widely cultivated ornamental shrub with beautiful and fragrant flowers.
My favorite spring flowers are Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley), and Prunus padus (bird cherry, hackberry, hagberry, or Mayday tree). I like both of these flowers, because of their nice fragrance. Are you starting to notice a pattern here? I really like flowers that smell nice.
Another flower I particularly like is Galanthus nivalis (the common snowdrop). Those are the very first spring flowers, and I am a person who dislikes cold and winters. Thus I like the first thing that grows and blossoms in the spring.
I also really like Centaurea cyanus (cornflowers). Their flowers are a very gorgeous shade of blue, I like them so much, because they are blue, and that’s my favorite color.
I don’t particularly like roses and the other posh flowers that people usually cultivate for giving them to others as presents. I mean, sure, roses are sort of pretty, but my attitude towards them can only be described as “whatever.” Among the more “fashionable” flowers, I do like orchids, especially those of the Angraecum genus. Why? Because they have white and fragrant flowers.
When it comes to plants in general, rather than just flowers, I also like palm trees and all the carnivorous plants, especially nepenthes, but sundews and Venus flytraps are also amazing. Bug eating plants are really cool. I find plant killing organs even more fascinating than plant sex organs.
Also, in case you like looking at photos of flowers, here are some photos of blooming lilacs that I took earlier this spring.
And this is a drawing I made years ago, with a common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) singing in linden tree branches.
I enjoy flowers that smell nice, too. Lilac and Lily of the Valley can make me swoon, but my favourite scented flower is the peony.
I like your drawing of the starling amongst the linden blooms. The photographs are also lovely.
Yes, white and purple lilacs are great. I also like white peonies. They are very beautiful.
Pink ones, however, do not appeal to me much. Over the years, I have started to dislike the color pink. As a child, I was forced to wear pink clothes (that’s what mother picked for me). Next, up until I was already 15 years old, I was forced to wear a pink school uniform. Even now I still occasionally struggle to find various consumer goods that aren’t pink (good luck finding tampons, menstrual cups, dildos, or vibrators that aren’t pink).
The end result is that I associate pink with enforced femininity. Rationally I understand that pink isn’t an ugly color; esthetically there’s nothing wrong with it. The very fact that the Western society associates pink with femininity is a random accident and also a somewhat recent phenomenon. Ladies’ Home Journal article in June 1918 said, “The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.”
Nonetheless, I still cannot bring myself to like anything pink, and that includes also pink flowers.