Heavenly
5
Thrilled
Veggie lover
Devon
Syringa vulgaris 'Madame Lemoine'
common lilac
3 litre pot
available to order from autumn
This shrub is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
- Position: full sun
- Soil: fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil
- Rate of Growth: average
- Flowering period: May and June
- Hardiness: fully hardy
Dense panicles of marvellously fragrant, double white flowers in May and June and heart-shaped, fresh-green leaves. This elegant white lilac is perfect for a sunny mixed or shrub border. Growing a late-summer flowering clematis through the branches is a good way of enhancing the shrub after it has flowered. - Garden care: In mid summer remove the faded flower heads carefully using secateurs to avoid damaging the young shoots. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant in early spring.
Goes well with
Happy
5
I actually fell in love with this and bought it on the spur of the moment thinking it was a shrub! Be warned it is a tree not a shrub and will grow very tall. That said I have never been happier to make such a mistake. The plant arrived well packaged and despite having to travel up North it arrived very healthy. I have put this in a huge pot for now and watered it well. The leaves are healthy and the plant itself is strong. I would recommend this to a friend with a large area in which to grow it. Fortunately I can move this to my mothers very large garden when the time comes and so I will still be able to enjoy it. It is better being kept out of any strong wind for a while, although it is strong it will need some degree of protection until the trunk has thickened.
Impulsive Gardener
Yorkshire
Beautiful
5
My daughter bought this for my 85 birthday present. It arrived, safely packed as usual, in good condition with three big blooms already out. It's main purpose is to delight me, of course, but really to hide a fence. It is a good height and width now so I'm hoping it won't be long before the eyesore is covered up. I have never had a new tree as big as this to am treating it with care.
Swimbo
Wetherby
4449
5.0
3
100.0
- Hello I bought a Syringa vulgaris Madame Lemoine' in May last year and it hasn't flowered this year. The plant is stronge and healthy and has grown about 9" and put on new growth. Is this usuall to not flower in the first few years and is there anything I can do about it. Jean
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Jeanie
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Hello, We can never guarantee when a plant will flower, as this is largely determined by external factors such as the available water, light and nutrients. I would say that it is unusual not to have had any flowers this year, however as the plant has only recently been planted, then it may be focusing its energies on producing larger roots or lots of leafy growth. Ultimately this is no bad thing as you will have a stronger plant as a result, however if you really want to push it into flowering, then often a feed (or two) with a high potash fertiliser (such as Tomorite) is all it needs. https://www.crocus.co.uk/product/_/levington-tomorite/classid.2000029308/
Helen
- Hi, I was wondering if I can plant a lilac shrub from a 3 litre pot straight into the ground in mid June? I'd like to purchase one from your site, but would like to know if it can go straight into the ground when it arrives or will it have to be potted until a more suitable time next year. Thanks for your help.
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Nuah13
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Hello, No, you can plant it out now, but do make sure it gets plenty of water during the warmer weather.
Helen
- Hello Is this tree evergreen? Cheers Serena
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Serena
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Hello, No, all the Syringas are deciduous.
Helen
- Growing plants for a wedding Dear Crocus, I am a very happy customer ..... I love your site, plants and service. I learnt about you first from Arabella Lennox-Boyd. But now I am writing for some advice please. My sister is getting married in Oxfordshire on the last weekend of May. I would love to grow the flowers for the wedding. I have a big garden with empty beds and a green house at my disposal. Could you give me some advice on types of cut flowers that would be in bloom at the end of May? Some pointers as a place to start my research and buying would be fantastic. Thank you very much, Best wishes, Kate
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Kate Olivia Higginbottom
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Thank you so much Helen - amazing! I'll send you photos of the finished results. Best wishes and thanks again, Kate
Crocus Helpdesk
Hello Kate, It will be a little hit and miss as a lot will depend on the weather, but the following plants should be in flower around that time. Choisya ternata http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/choisya-ternata-/classid.825/ Osmanthus x burkwoodii http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/osmanthus-%C3%97-burkwoodii-/classid.4171/ Syringa http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.syringa/ Viburnum x carlcephalum http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/viburnum-%C3%97-carlcephalum-/classid.4460/ Convallaria majalis http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.convallaria/ Iris http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.iris/ Paeonia http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.paeonia/ Euphorbia palustris http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/perennials/euphorbia-palustris-/classid.2794/ Aquilegia http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.aquilegia/ Ceanothus Skylark http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/ceanothus-thyrsiflorus-skylark/classid.728/ and if we have a hot start to the summer a couple of roses or some of the earlier lavenders may have started too. I hope this gives you lots of ideas. Helen Plant Doctor
Kate Olivia Higginbottom
- Specimen Ceanothus or another large bushy shrub.... Good afternoon, When I was first looking for a Ceanothus to replace the one we have in our front garden, I looked on your website, but you only had small ones. Our once lovely Ceanothus has been pruned out of all recognition again this year, as I planted it a bit too near our boundary when it was a baby. I know it may come back, but it is getting ridiculous as every time it grows back it has to be cut back again severely and then ooks a mess for most of the year. Have you got a nice, tall, bushy Ceanothus to replace it? I love my Ceanothus but perhaps if you don't have a big one, do you have another large, flowering shrub as an alternative? Hope you can help Regards Margaret
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D DRAKETT
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Hello Margaret, it is rare to find larger sized Ceanothus as they are usually quite short-lived and don't normally live longer than 6 - 8 years. We do have a selection of larger shrubs on our site like Hamamelis, Hydrangeas, Magnolias, Acer, Cornus, Cotinus, Philadelphus, Syringa and Viburnum, so you may find something of interest. They will be listed in this section. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/ I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
- How do I look after my Lilac tree? Would you be so kind as to forward to me instructions as to how to look after my Lilac tree?
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Lynn Hamam
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These shrubby trees like a sunny spot with fertile, humus-rich, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil. They flower in early summer, so the faded flowers should be removed after they are past their best. They require little pruning, but appreciate a generous layer of mulch around their base in early spring.
Crocus
- How to prune an old Lilac tree We have a beautiful white lilac tree in the garden. Unfortunately, it has grown very "leggy". How should I go about pruning the tree in order to encourage it to produce shoots and branches lower down?
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Ken Lewis
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The best way to renovate lilac is to cut back the main stems to within 30-60cm of the ground in winter. The response is usually good although the regrowth will need to be thinned out. Keep in mind though that flowering will be delayed for up to three years if you cut all the branches back at the same time, so it may be better to stage the hard pruning over two or three years.
Crocus
- Why won't my Lilac flower? I took a cutting of a Lilac about 4 years ago and have planted it out into the ground. It looks really healthy with lots of leaves, but it has never flowered. Can you tell me why?
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Noreen Gwynne Davies [nnl]
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Syringas will often flower when they are young if they are grown in a pot as their roots are restricted. When grown in the ground though, they may take up to 5 years to flower as they are concentrating their efforts into producing a good root system. The only other considerations are a lack of sun, or pruning at the wrong time of the year.
Crocus
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