welcome to GW ...

when i think of hedges.. i think of plants sheared into some boxy shape .. due to limited space.. and as a sight block ...

a flowering shrub like a lilac may not be the best alternative ... as the shearing related to the shape and form.. might not allow proper flowering ...

so .. unless you have a large space [width] .. to let the lilac grow in a natural form.. it might not work ..

we will need more info ... to help determine such..

i am down in adrian mi.. where are you??

ken

I don't know about the growth habits of any lilacs other than the common old "lilac" colored Syringa Vulgaris.

Have mentioned this before on lilac threads. I have a hundred year old plus lilac hedge - maybe 125-150 feet in full sun. From what I can tell now, they were originally planted maybe 3 feet apart and allowed to grow into eachother without shearing, topping, etc. They get looked at by an arborist every 10 to 15 years or whenever snow or storms create some breakage. These have reached about 15 feet high, extremely dense with leaves to the ground (cannot see into or out of the yard when in leaf). With no routine annual attention, they are spectacular, traffic stopping bloomers.

So, if you've got the space to let them grow without constant pruning and shaping them into a form that nature never intended, plant them and just let them do their thing.

Thank you Ken and duluthinbloomz4 for your inputs. I recently had to have my previous 'hedge' of 5 mature pines removed because of disease and topping by Consumers Power. Their removal left an open space - on a sunny hillside - of about 70' x 15/20'. The pines had screened my house from the road and I want to grow another screen - within a couple of years. So I need something fairly fast growing as well as dense - and attractive...am I hoping for too much?

dont do all of one thing....

diversify your hedge ... there are many flowering shrubs that will fill in with them ... some wildly fragrant viburnam ....

i will post some pix when i am allowed on the laptop ... or when the kids return to school .. whichever comes first ...

many flowering shrubs can be propagated by digging suckers .... i have at least 8 to 12 types ... if you care to drive down to tecumseh ...

proper planting time will be mid sept to mid oct ....

link to musser forests ... small cheap bulk plants ... and those could make a majority of the planting.. and you could fill in with named varieties ...

i would plant lilac ... at least 8 foot on center ... should you wish to maintain independent plants ... which to my eye is much more pleasing ...

lilac require 'rejuvenation pruning' about every 5 years or so.. you have to go in there.. and remove older, weaker limbs to the ground.. google the term .. they are not totally care free ...

if i have the right person.. and you told me you are in lansing .. gee tree farm in stockbridge might be a good call or day trip for options on shrubs.. they might only have a couple million types to choose from ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link