It is a lilac year for sure. Even my grown up and away daughters have stories of lilacs this year. The lilacs at our house were pretty enough, but the mature bushes at my mother’s house are amazing. They are here off to the right. I have been thinking of trimming them and each year when the frost hits and they don’t amount to very much, I consider doing a major overhaul. Thankfully I have not done more than take out the dead stuff here and there. This year they are so beautiful. In the foreground are the yellow roses. Adie cleaned them early this year. Normally Kathy has to do it. I did clean them once upon a time, but it has been a few years since I stepped up. A woman in my congregation has this same type of yellow roses beside her house on the east side, and that bush is amazing. I seem to remember these came from the south side of the wrap around porch and they were pretty nice there too.
The other pictures are of the lilacs at my place and a close up of one of the branches. I started two of my trees, the ones on either end from sucker plants that I dug out from under the tree to the right of the picture above. I have also dug out suckers and passed them on to other family members. Jessica took a pail full to Jamestown one year and was supposed to share with Victoria, but ended up keeping the majority of them. They are now blooming beautifully in her yard.
I also took some to Victoria after she moved to Dickinson. Well, that is a story. She didn’t plant them, but didn’t throw them out. The pail they were in ended up in a corner in the garage last fall and all through the winter. Their garage is attached. She called me the other day to tell me she accidentally found the pail and they are not only still in there, but growing. I hope to shout they take it as a sign and plant them soon. Well, not much else to say. I hope to post more on the lucindalines site later tonight. We are heading to Regional track early in the morning. I am sad that it is over, but I sure will be glad to have the days to do as I need to around here without stopping by 2 p.m. everyday so that I can make it to practice and losing two to three days a week to meets, not to mention the stats work and such. It is fun while it lasts, but it is good that 9 weeks is really all we can do that sport around here. I don’t think I would have the energy to keep up that pace for much longer. Take care and Happy Gardening to all of you!!
lucindagardens 
My lilac bushes were barren this year. I hope this is not indicative of how my garden will grow!
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O my! I hope not either. Did you have a frost that hit? We were so lucky, when the temperature was just around freezing, we covered and were ok. About 40 miles to the east of us it hit in the mid 20’s and that pretty much was a killer.
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It wasn’t frost. I think I pruned them too late in the season — basically I cut them to the ground every year to keep them from growing out of control. I’ve done it for the past four years without a problem, but last year I cut them down closer to September. They had grown back to nearly three feet by the time the first frost hit, but in the spring not a bud was to be had. This year I’m going to trim them back early, probably in the next couple of weeks and then let them be until next year. If they get too big, I’ll just cut them back more next spring after we hopefully get flowers again. I’d love to say it was the frost, but no–it was all me!
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I love lilacs. Your mother’s trees are fabulous, and yours may not be as large, but they are lovely too.
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I adore lilacs, and have planted one in our new garden. Well – I planted it about two years ago, our first late winter here. It is still very young and hasn’t produced blooms. I am getting to know where the lilacs in my new neighbourhood are, and while they were in bloom, I would make detours to go have a sniff. I’m not sure what I would do if I were faced with your enormous bushes! Walk straight into them perhaps?
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I cannot grow lilacs here, but I am remembering their scent from my childhood. Yours are gorgeous!
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Thank you on the comment and sorry you are unable to grow them there.
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