Now in full bloom of pale lavender, deep purple and white, lilacs belong first of all to springtime on the Vineyard and only then to the rest of New England. And while we do not wish  to disparage other coastal areas, nothing matches the sight and scent of Island lilacs for either importance or beauty.

Lilacs lead the seasonal march toward the next turning point, the long holiday weekend, toward the rush of summer when time often runs too fast to catch even a glimpse of the beauty around us. Follow the lilacs and you will discover these days a supporting cast dressed in pinks and whites of wild apple, the brilliance of flowering cherry and the rose tints and creams of dogwood, especially beautiful in this Vineyard spring.

Next Friday, to mark the Memorial Day observance, Island schoolchildren will cast lilacs upon harbor waters in memory of those lost at sea. And perhaps that is the loveliest tradition of all in this lilac season that touches the Vineyard so deeply