The lilac is a sublime plant that beautifies our garden. Very popular in France, we love to make bouquets of them to enjoy in our interior.

In order to make the lilac bloom, some tips are needed :

The different types of lilacs

Syringa Vulgaris

If you like large flowers with a bewitching scent, bet on the common lilac or Syringa vulgaris. Its countless varieties, with single or double flowers, come in white, pink, blue, purple and purple tones. Very resistant to cold and drought, this 3 to 5m high shrub blooms again every year in May-June. Planted alone or mixed in a hedge, it displays good longevity. Easy to grow, this variety adapts to most soils and only requires a few prunings.

The Superba

Some small-leaved lilacs bloom in late spring, then in September. The best known is the Superba lilac, a French variety from 1934. This large bush, 3m high and wide, offers purple-pink flowers with a spicy scent.

Red Pixie

Red Pixie is an American selection popular for its fragrant pink flowers and yellow foliage. It will not exceed 1.50m in height.

Bloomerang Pink Perfume

Bloomerang Pink Perfume is a recent variety from Holland. Small in size, it has well-scented pink flowers that bloom from spring until late fall.

Korean dwarf lilac

If you don’t have enough space, opt for the dwarf Korean lilac like the Pabilin, the smallest of its kind. It grows in a ball and does not exceed 1m in height. It flowers pink in May-June and its foliage displays beautiful fall colors. Josée is a variety with pale pink tones that measures 1.50m. It blooms again a little in the fall. These two lilacs are very fragrant, grow slowly and resist down to -15°C. They also exist grafted on a 60cm high stem.

When to plant lilac ?

You will plant your lilac in autumn, until spring. It will benefit from a planting no later than March April, especially if it has bare roots, to establish itself correctly before winter. For shrubs sold in containers, the planting period can be extended until late spring.

Where to plant lilac ?

Not very difficult, the lilac adapts to all types of soil, even tolerating calcareous soils, but it appreciates well-drained, deep and rich soil. Regions with cold winters are particularly suitable for lilacs, in fact it flowers much better when it has suffered good frosts. It will gratify you with a more than generous flowering exposed to the sun, but will also like partial shade. Lilac is suckering, it is better to leave a margin of 2 or 3 meters if it is placed near a wall.

How to plant lilac ?

It is advisable to dig the planting hole a good week before installing your shrub, this allows the soil to air out. Although not very demanding, your lilac will still develop better in soil that is not too compact, if this is the case with your land, lighten it a little with potting soil or sand. You will make a fairly large hole, 60 to 80 cm in all directions, of which you will scratch the walls and the bottom to decompact them. Then place a little organic manure at the bottom, then a little soil on top, the roots must not be in contact with this fertilizer. If your shrub is sold bare-rooted, slightly cut off the tips of the roots, this will promote the growth of small rootlets. In the same way, you will fold back the branches slightly and you will remove the smallest branches, whether your shrub is in a container or not. In a container, you will soak the root ball after removing it from its container. Install your lilac straight, spread the roots if they are bare and then fill in the hole. Tamp the soil well by making a bowl, which you will completely fill with water to remove any air pockets that could have formed near the roots.