Lilac

Lilacs Syringa, are classic garden shrubs and small trees that bear panicles of fragrant, tubular, single or double flowers in shades of purple, pink and white from late spring to early summer. Lilac flowers are excellent for cutting and are edible, too.

The most common lilac is Syringa vulgaris, or tree lilac. It is part of the Oleaceae or olive family and is native to east Asia and south east Europe. It was much loved by the Edwardians and was widely grown in suburban gardens before going out of fashion. However there is now renewed interest in lilac as it is hard to beat for flowers and scent.

There are are many cultivars to choose from – some are compact and are suitable for smaller gardens or pots, while larger types can be grown as a standalone specimen in a lawn or at the back of a mixed border. Discover more trees for small gardens.

You can expect lilacs to put on around 30-60cm of growth a year.

How to grow lilac

Lilacs are easy to grow. Grow in moist but well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil in full sun. Prune after flowering to prevent them getting leggy. Mulch annually in spring.

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Where to grow lilac

Lilacs thrive in a sunny location, in well-drained, fertile, humus-rich soil that is alkaline to neutral. Lilacs are good plants for chalky or alkaline soil.alkaline soils.

Planting lilac

Dig a generous hole and plant your lilac to the level of the soil line. Back-fill and firm down the soil gently around the plant. Water in well. Mulch after planting to help retain moisture in the soil. If you're growing lilac in a pot, choose one that is at least 60cm in diameter. Plant into compost with some sand or grit added for drainage.

How to care for lilac

Deadheading spent lilac blooms in summer

Mulch lilac annually in spring. As the flowers fade towards midsummer, you can deadhead spent blooms on smaller shrubs. Prune shrubs for the desired height and shape after flowering, also removing any dead, diseased or dying wood.

If you need to renovate an overgrown or leggy old tree, prune when the plant is dormant, in winter. Lilacs respond well to hard pruning and you can cut the whole plant back to around 1m above ground. Because they flower on the previous year's wood, you will lose the flowers for a at least one year. Alternatively you could remove some of the stems over a period of two or three years, cutting them back to the ground – this will ensure that you still enjoy some spring flowers.

Stock

We have a good stock of Lilac saplings up to about 12 to 18 inches tall ready to plant in the garden in Spring. The plants we have are the purple variety but we also have white seedlings.