Plant a Lilac Bush Today! 3 Reasons You Won’t Regret It
Today, I’m sharing 3 reasons I recommend planting a Lilac Bush. I accidentally planted one a few years ago, and I love them so much that I’ve been splitting the original plants and spreading them around my yard. Here are some of the things I’ve learned after discovering I had a lilac bush. For one thing, lilacs are so easy to arrange, so I’m sharing some tips for enjoying them inside your home.
First, I’m so glad I made that mistake because I love filling baskets full of these gorgeous blooms. I’m gathering as many as I can while they last.
Table of contents
How I Accidentally Planted a Lilac Bush
First, I have to fill you in on the back story. I had a landscape plan designed around our outdoor kitchen, and using that plan, I purchased and planted all the recommended items. Fast-forward approximately six years, and I cut some of the gorgeous blooms from what I thought was my Mystery Gardenia Plant. I made a beautiful arrangement and shared it on Instagram. I was quickly informed by real gardeners that those were lilac blooms and not mystery gardenia.
As you can see, I’m not a master gardener, but I know Google, and I did my research. Sure enough, they were lilacs, and I was in love. LOL
In my defense, I had never seen a lilac bush and, therefore, never knew about its wonderful fragrance. I also had no idea what a Mystery Gardenia looked like. LOL
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Reason 1 To Plant A Lilac Bush
The number one reason you want to plant a lilac bush is harvesting those beautiful blooms each spring. They are hard to beat for making a gorgeous floral arrangement. I have them all over the house and greenhouse.
They Smell Wonderful
The second reason is that they have the best fragrance. They make the area around our outdoor kitchen smell wonderful, and when you bring them inside, wow. Right now, my whole house smells great.
Number 3 – Lilacs Are Easy To Care For
They are really easy to care for, and each year, they produce more and more blooms for you to enjoy. Here are a few things that have worked well for me.
- Prune and shape your lilac bush immediately after the last blooms each spring. If you prune later, you will reduce your blooms for the next year.
- A light pruning will prevent possible disease.
- Never prune in the fall.
- Don’t over-fertilize. A small amount in early spring will be sufficient but not mandatory.
- Beware that lilacs can grow into trees. If your space is limited, consider a dwarf variety. I accidentally planted the dwarf variety, which is fortunate since my space is very limited.
- You can easily split your lilac bush to spread the love around your property. See How to Split a Lilac Bush here. I now have 3 more lilac bushes and gifted two to friends, from these I split last spring.
The only negative about the lilac bush is that the blooms don’t last long enough. However, the bush has beautiful green leaves all summer long.
If you want expert advise on planting and pruning lilacs in your area, google has many detailed options and I found this great article.
YouTube Video
You can watch this video to see how I arranged the lilacs in a basket.
Do you see the apothecary cabinet in the background? You’ll never guess what it was originally. Click here for all the details.
Another Favorite Plant For Blooms All Summer
If you are looking for a plant that blooms all summer long, my favorite is Geraniums. With proper care, you will enjoy blooms from early spring until late fall. See Best Tips to Keep Geraniums Blooming.
Resources
Click Here for Gardening Resources.
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Your lilacs are so pretty! I would love to plant more to enjoy here! xo
Stacy, I bet they would do great in your climate.
They are beautiful! I don’t believe I have ever seen anything like that down here in south Georgia. But will check and ask
around. Thanks for sharing all the information on lilacs. 🤗
Margie,
I understand that the hotter the climate the less likely they will grow well.
I adore lilacs too! And love how you arranged them to enjoy in your home!
Kristin,
Thanks for stopping by.
I love your lilacs and the arrangement. They do smell so good, I’ve ordered one and can’t wait for it to come. Thanks for all the information, I will need it.
Marlene,
Thanks.
They do smell so good, I’ve ordered one and can’t wait for it to come. Thanks for all the information, I will need it.
I love lilacs. I planted four by our deck and thus year they are producing beautiful blooms. I can’t wait for them to open and bring them inside.
I accidentally bought lilacs that bloom 4 times a year. It’s a newer variety.
I have heard the blooms aren’t as big as okd fashion lilac bushes.
I never have luck with geraniums but love them
Cindy,
I didn’t know there was a variety that bloom 4 times. OMG. I need those as well. Read by post from last year .https://www.thepondsfarmhouse.com/best-tip-to-keep-geraniums-blooming/. It really works.
Marlene,
Thank you so much for your encouragement.
I loved this post Rachel, and the picture of you holding the basket! Lilacs are one of my very favorite flowers. I have to steal my neighbors for the indoors. I have 3 trees but they seem to take forever to establish. Can’t wait for more blooms!
Kim,
I just heard theres a variety that bloom 4 times a year. I need those.
Your photos are absolutely beautiful! I love lilacs.
Shawna,
Thanks so much
Oh, I love lilacs! We had some at our old house and I missed them so much. You have encouraged me to try and plant some again!
Jen,
You will love having them.
Here from Thistlekeeping. Lilacs are a longtime favorite of mine and look perfect in your charming home. The other thing I like about lilacs is the branch structure–even when all the leaves are off, I think they are pretty–and I find that the birds use them for cover–there, that makes two more reasons to love them!
Kris,
Thank you so much for stopping by. Yes, the bush is a beautiful green for the yard after the blooms are gone. I hope you will keep checking back with me.
They are beautiful. We are planning an outdoor kitchen soon and I love the idea of one of these bushes.
Oh you will love it.
I so wish we could grow these in SoCal!
Ana,
I understand they don’t do well in very hot climates.
I’ve been looking for just the right bush at the farmhouse and this will be it! Thanks for the tips. Hope I can find a dwarf in white. Love the color of yours too. Gaaah! So pretty! pinned
Cindy,
Thank you. Hope you find what you are looking for. White sounds lovely.
I wish I could plant a lilac bush. I loved it when I lived in IL, but from what I understand, it’s too hot for them in Texas. I don’t remember the name, but I’m not impressed with what people here use instead.
DeeDee,
Oh I didn’t know they couldn’t survive in a hot climate. They bloom early here in NC.