Guest Author - Hellie T.






Lilac is an ideal shrub for an English cottage garden.




It was introduced into England in the 16th century and makes an excellent backdrop for a herbaceous border with perennials such as bleeding heart or used as part of a shrub border.

Spring flowering bulbs look good when planted under lilacs You can also use them to make a scented hedge.

Syringa vulgaris or Common Lilac is a deciduous hardy shrub and is very easy to grow. It has lovely perfumed flowers from May to late June.
You can find lilacs in a wide range of colours - white, cream, mauve, red, pink and purple although the favourite colours are the shades of mauve and purple and white.

White lilac in the language of flowers means Youthful Innocence - Purity - Modesty and Virginity.
Whereas purple lilac means the first emotions of love.

Common lilacs should not be confused with Ceanothus which is often called the Californian Lilac

How and where to grow.

Lilacs prefer a a sunny spot but will thrive in a space that gets at least half a day's sun.

They like well drained fertile soil with a mulch of well rotted compost in the early spring.

After the flower heads have died back and faded to brown it is best to remove them carefully using secateurs to avoid damaging the young shoots which appear very quickly.

Lilacs grow slowly and the biggest types can each 20ft but there are many smaller varieties available which are ideal for a small garden and pot culture.

Look out for standard varieties which are more expensive to buy but look wonderful in pots and can be moved to a site where you will see and smell them every day when they are in flower.

Varieties to look for.

Go to your garden centre/shop in May and June so you can see the lilacs in flowers and make it easy for you to choose which type and colour you would like.

Madame Lemoine is an old variety that has double white flowers and a wonderful scent.
Katherine Havemeyer has clusters of scented, double, lavender blue flowers from purple buds.

Charles Joly has lovely clusters of scented, double, dark purple red flowers.
Madame Florent Stepman has pure white flowers.

Primrose has lovely pale yellow flowers
Sensation has purple/white flowers.

Enjoy your garden.