Fragrant Easy-Care Lilacs

Fragrance and fond memories have helped fill our landscapes with spring blooming lilacs. Their easy-care nature and tolerance of windy and dry conditions once established, make them an excellent choice for busy gardeners and challenging planting sites.

Select powdery mildew resistant varieties like the Dwarf Korean lilac that grows 4 to 5’ tall and 5 to 7’ wide. The red-purple buds open to fragrant lilac colored blossoms.

Those in warmer climates should select varieties that need minimal cold to flower and tolerate hot summer temperatures. Angel White, Lavender Lady and Blue Skies are a few to consider.

For an extended floral display, consider the repeat blooming purple, dark purple and pink Boomerang lilacs. These compact plants produce fragrant flowers in mid-May, rest and bloom again in mid to late summer continuing into fall.

A bit more information: Remove the spring flowers of Bloomerang lilacs immediately after they fade. This will encourage more repeat blooms later in the season.