"Elinor" Syringa prestoniae

I.Prestone, 1951., Canada (S.Villosae Group)

Syringa can be deciduous shrubs or trees, with simple, entire or rarely pinnate leaves and conical panicles of small, very fragrant, 4-lobed tubular flowers in late spring or early summer.

Lilac is  a large, dense, deciduous shrub, to 4m tall and wide, with large, oval leaves. Flowers are held in loose, erect panicles, to 18cm long, and are dark purplish-red in bud opening to pale pinkish-lavender in early summer.

Easy to grow in most well-drained, fertile, humus-rich alkaline to neutral soils. Thrives in chalky ground and appreciates mulching when planted in full sun.