Spring is (almost) here!
Not meteorological spring, which was March 1, but astronomical spring, which is Sunday.
What could be more fitting for a spring celebration than lilacs? Show me someone who doesn’t like lilacs, and I’ll show you a bitter retiree who’s discovered that she can’t have a lilac at her Miami condo.
That’s actually one of the most frequent questions we get on the Proven Winners feedback site: why can’t I get a lilac in Florida? Hint: the reblooming Bloomerang® varieties typically do better in warmer climates since they flower on new wood.
However, if you’re looking for that classic farmhouse lilac with outstanding fragrance (and not so much powdery mildew), here’s the plant for you: Scentara® Double Blue Syringa.
This plant gets 6-8′ tall, like the one at your grandma’s house. But it has unique doubled flowers and a nicer habit than old-fashioned common lilac. And there is the aforementioned mildew tolerance.
As with any lilac, it will want full sun to be at its best. Let it shine in a nice sunny, exposed border – that makes it easy to cut some flowers for bouquets.
This beautiful plant is hardy to USDA Zone 2 – it’s the north country’s reward for making it through another winter.
The year of the lilac!
This year the National Garden Bureau has named Syringa as one of its popular “year of” plants.
You might think you know a lot about lilacs, but the NGB has covered all the bases on their page devoted to our old-fashioned friends.
Click here to learn more about lilacs, including different species, planting and growing tips, and more!
