If you purchase the plants "bare root", it may bloom the first year, but can take up to 5 years to rebloom, because the roots will have to become established. Best to buy as potted plant, which will have established roots and usually rebloom a year or two after transplanting.
The most common type found is Syringa vulgaris, which grows and flowers most years around here. I have an old one, about 25 years old, that had to be moved at one time, when the original location became too shady and it stopped blooming.
Lilacs require a defined chill period during the winter and several hours of direct sunlight each day, to perform well.
They also need moist, but well drained, neutral to alkaline soil.
There are a number of Hybrids of Syringa vulgaris, called Descanso hybrids, that were developed in S Calif., that do not require the long chill periods and are said to do well in the south.
Monrovia Nursery sells 3 of those, 'Lavender Lady', 'Angel White' & 'Monore'. Check Pikes, Walker Nursery, Buck Jones, Lost Mountain, Hastings and other Monrovia retailers for availibility.
Good luck!
Rb

Here is a link that might be useful: ILS-Growing Lilacs

The only place I've heard or seen carrying lilacs is at Scottsdale Farm. (add a .com to see their website)
If you give it a try, let us know because I know you're not the only one wanting to grow lilacs

A friend of mine bought one at Gardenwright. Hers bloomed nicely this year (it's 2nd year) until it got his with the late freeze. It was a variety listed as good for the south but I don't which one. I planted a 'President Grevy' bareroot 3 springs ago, still no blooms.

I once transplanted a sucker from an ancient plant in a garden up near Rome where they bloomed every year, to a garden in Clayton County.

I saw occasional budding and the blooms would blast before they opened. Rarely, very rarely, after a very cold winter I would see enough blooms to get a good whiff of that delightful fragrance. I would not say that the plant EVER flourished before I moved away and left it.

Nell

We presently have some of the Monrovia hybrids but they really haven't bloomed well for us (warm winters).

The Cutleaf and Miss Kim varieties are fairly dependable. Unfortunately, they don't have the huge panicles of bloom that one is accustomed to seeing on standard varieties, and the fragrance, while good, is also not comparable.

My advice would be to have a representative sample of cutleafs and Miss Kims at the back of the border for spring bloom...but if space is a consideration don't sacrifice any crepe myrtles or buddleiea, both of which are in their own way far superior.

I have two miss Kim's and they do bloom every year but nothing too exciting, but they do smell nice.
They are not full and lush like the northern varieties either.

I planted 5 4 years ago. They haven't done much. They did put on a growth spurt this spring, so perhaps they will bloom next year, if we have a cold enough winter.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. Hmmm, I may just see if she forgets all about the idea lol. If not I'll go find her one of the varieties that were suggested here but it sounds like they aren't going to be nearly as magnificent as what she remembers in Canada, I also don't think there is anywhere on her property that would fit the moisture requirements their soil needs and I don't see her really taking care of them.

Maybe I could just buy her something lilac-scented instead lol. Thanks again. Squirrellypete