Celebrity Sighting

It always amazes me how nature reflects events in our own personal lives.  Or maybe it's the other way around.  Perhaps we take our cues from the great outdoors, dragging the notions inside and trying them on for size.  That's certainly what the viburnum "bush" outside my bathroom window does (technically it's considered a shrub, but at two stories high, I always think of this beauty as an all-out tree).  Each May, the plant's buds burst forth in an aroma of floral embellishment that would put even the most famous designers and perfumers to shame.

Like its human counterparts, who wait for the warm weather to plan life's main events--graduations, weddings, special days set aside to honor mothers and fathers--the viburnum is one of the many celebrities of my garden which chooses this month to put on a show and draw attention to itself.  By mid-month, you can find it decked out like a blushing bride in white buds with just a hint of rosy tint.  And the heady aroma it emits has been known to stop more than one garden visitor in her tracks.

To pause, look up, breath deeply, and stare at this wonder of natural beauty is a treat, but I'm sure the viburnum considers it appropriate behavior.  After all, we're each a bit (even if it's a tiny bit) mesmerized by celebrity sightings, and the intrigue we feel in this plant's presence is fitting.

Don't you agree?