Blessed with strongly scented flowers from late spring into early summer, French lilacs are desirable deciduous shrubs that really make their presence felt. Appearing in great profusion at the end of branches clothed with heart-shaped green leaves, the tiny, packed clusters of purple buds open to reveal a mass of brightly coloured tubular flowers that smell great and act as a magnet to wildlife. A real sun lover, lilacs can be grown in just about any soil or can be raised in large containers. For a sensational floral display, year after year, deadhead when two new shoots appear beneath faded blooms and remove any wayward branches to keep a compact shape. Specifications Availability: September to May Planting time: All year round Flowering time: May to June Supplied as 3 established plants in 9cm pots, 1 each of 3 colours; pink, white and lavender-blue Top Tips Plant them where you can smell the gorgeous flowers. Care Information Grow lilac plants in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. Feed and water regularly throughout the growing season while young plants become established. Lilac can be pruned in winter or spring by removing any damaged, diseased or misplaced stems before lightly shaping to retain the standard form and height. In mid-summer, faded flowers can be removed from the plants. After pruning, apply a mulch of well-rotted manure or compost to the base of the lilac. To Plant Shrub roots generally tend to spread out rather than down, so dig a planting hole 3 x wider than the roots of the shrub you’re planting, and mix some well-rotted compost or manure with the soil from the hole and use this to re-fill one the shrub is in place. We’ve found that a square hole is better than a round one as the new roots, once they reach the edges tend to grow in a circle round the circumference of the hole whereas when they reach the corners of a square hole, they find it easier to grow through. Before planting soak container-grown shrubs thoroughly and allow to drain. Remove the plant from its pot and tease out a few of the roots. Add Mycorrhizal fungi to the roots when planting to help plants establish quicker. Place your shrub in the hole at the same level at the pot. Refill the hole with the earth removed (backfilling). Firm in the soil with your heel, avoiding the root ball and water well. Mulch around the base of the plant with a collar, compost, gravel, bark etc.
