Suburban Gardener—

The Lovely Lilac, A Wonder Of A Flower

By Gerry McCabe

The flowering and greening of spring has certainly accelerated in the last week or two. The crabapple buds are swelling voluptuously, the is grass glowing greener and the sprouts of all kinds of perennials are cautiously poking their heads out of the ground saying “Is it safe yet?” It is the season of wonder. The time of fresh new beginnings and optimistic outlooks. Each day brings a new view.

In just a few weeks, the queen of the spring garden — the lilac — will make her debut. Some may wrestle me to the ground opposing my view on this flowering shrub but tell me what other spring plant conjures up such pleasant memories than these fragrant purple panicles.

I can remember as a child visiting my aunt’s old house in the spring and passing by two immense lilac bushes adorning either side of her back door. The scent was intoxicating and still to this day, whenever I catch a whiff of a lilac, Aunt Stella appears in my mind for a fleeting moment as if to say “Hello dear, Happy Spring.”

Bouquets of lilacs can scent up an entire house in less than an hour. By strategically placing the shrubs by a window in the garden, the gentle spring breeze can wistfully drift sweet nothings through your window at night. At our house, a progeny of Aunt Stella’s lilac stands outside our bedroom window. What a peaceful delight during a warm spring night, to inspire such a soothing scent.  

But people may feel that the common lilac Syringa vulgaris is just that: a “vulgar weed.” Taking over a garden with numerous sucker growths and catching a horrible leaf mildew in our humid summers can leave people with their noses turned up during its two week floral stint. But as “every person has his fifteen of fame,” the lilac’s short showy glow is worth as much as a rose or maybe more.

In my garden along with Syringa vugaris, I have two other varieties of lilac: Littleleaf lilac, or Syringa microphylla, and Cutleafed Lilac, or Syringa lacinata.

Littleleaf is a little wonder. Growing to a height of five to six feet with a spread of six feet, this lilac is noted for its tiny mildew resistant leaves and, get this, a repeat bloom in late August or early September. What a confusing yet pleasant moment one can have upon walking by one of these plants in the dog days of summer and catch a refreshing scent of spring.

Having a moderate growth habit, Littleleaf will not take over and can be used along garden paths or as we have it, overlapping a corner of our deck. The flowers are a lighter purple in shade and tinier than the common species, but that does not stop them from pumping out their perfume.

The Cutleafed Lilac is a new addition to my garden. I chose it not only for my fascination with lilacs but because of its very peculiar foliage. Most lilac leaves are ovate in shape varying in size but Cutleaf is just that: its leaves are an unusually finely lobed, almost threadlike, which gives this shrub character beyond the flowering period.

Growing to a low, rounded and dense shrub of six feet, the flowers are a very pale lilac and appear in late May. Although I will not have the pleasure of bloom this year, my eyes will be focused next spring.

The list of species and their cultivars of lilac are endless. Some literature states there are possibly 800 or more varieties out there. Colors can range from the common “lilac” to deep purple, blue, magenta pink and white. All tend to do best in neutral to mildly alkaline soil. Old flowers should be cut off as soon as they fade to encourage heavier bloom the next year.

Try to keep their feet dry. Lilac roots will not tolerate wet, boggy conditions. To try to control mildew, plant them in full sun and in a spot that has good air circulation. Too many people plant lilacs as foundation plants, but that will promote mildew due to the lack of a good drying wind from all sides.

Most of all, enjoy their beauty. Relish their perfume and build a memory.

(When she isn’t tending to her garden at home, Gerry McCabe spends some of her time continuing her gardening education at Naugatuck Valley College in Waterbury. Gerry, a certified master gardener in Connecticut, can be reached at TNGCATS@aol.com.)