thanks for sharing, I'll bet they smell good.

How tall are they? They're beautiful.

They're 8 or 9 feet tall.

Oh, how I wish I have a nicely established lilac! Yours are beautiful and thanks for sharing. I can't wait for the lilac festival in Rochester next month

A lilac festival! That sounds dreamy! I'll have to look it up.

Thanks Rhizo! I've been practically living in the forums since moving into the garden. It was definitely well-tended and well-loved some 40 years ago, but the previous two owners kept it just tidy enough to get by. It's amazing how resilient some of the trees, shrubs, and bulbs are. Just yesterday I discovered 6 red and yellow tulips in a corner under an old locust tree :)

I think one of the things I enjoy best about my gardening zone (zone 7 Mid Atlantic), is that I can grow both lilacs and crepe myrtles together..., not too hot, not too cold.

In fact, my lavender lilac bush is partially shaded by a Southern Magnolia.

I lived in Texas with beautiful crepe myrtles and now in the north enjoy lilacs, but would *love* to live in subtropix's zone! I grew up in zone 7 and miss it dearly. Some say that lilacs are "ordinary" but I find them magnificent. They evoke childhood memories for me too and their scent is divine. Madreselva, it sounds you'll have many beautiful years of gardening (and discoveries!) on your new property.

Crepe myrtles are so beautiful! My uncle built up the soil around his yard and planted them for privacy. When I visited in August, they were in bloom and so so beautiful. How do you use them in the garden?

" How do you use them in the garden?"

I have most of mine in the my south-facing garden patch along with other full sun lovers (herbs like rosemary and lavender), hardy cacti, yuccas, and a fig tree. They have a MUCH longer bloom season than Lilacs (like from May through October..., I think two years ago they were blooming into November on the south side of the house). Colors are great on Crepes..., including the Autumn foliage which rivals northern Maples. I most admit, I do cut them back some in the early Spring, in an attempt to maintain them as tall bushes and not trees. Colors are vibrant red, purple, pink or magenta but without fragrance. They get a later start than lilacs. My pale lavender lilacs are currently in bloom, my Crepes are still totally leafless!

If you do grow both in your world, keep in mind that Crepes are more acid and Lilacs are definitely on the alkaline side. BTW, both are highly deer resistant.

The crepes sound like wonderful companions, though, since they keep the garden interesting after the lilacs have faded. There's a lone crepe in a community garden across the street, and the color is blindingly beautiful. I'll look into them - my favorite local nursery had them in the late summer, I think. Can they be planted any time?

Another lilac photo: the entrance to my daughter's "secret garden" -

"Can they (Crepes) be planted any time?

Yes, but you plant them in the middle of summer heat, they may be quite stressed. You can plant in the Autumn or in Spring (I usually see them in garden centers and box stores in NJ from May-July and by the time mid Summer comes around they mostly look heat stressed and the stores are practically giving 'em away. In Zone 6, you need to do a little research. there is a whole series of hybrids that are cold hardier (you will recognize them because each is named after a native American group). They can be yet another one of my plant addictions and are imminently collectible. So..., I have 'Zuni' (magenta flowers), 'Catawba' (purple), Dwarf 'Hopi' (medium coral/pink.., my favorite!) among the hybrids. 'Dynamite' is another one of my absolute favorites but I think that one is Zone 7 (a true red). Then, they just had to introduce the ones with the almost black leaves and red flowers (at that point, I just ran out of space and began to containerize them..., yes, they do splendidly in containers, so no excuse for those living into more arctic zones (jus' need to protect the containers over the winter). I just wish lilacs had a longer season.., by the time the lilac bloom are done, the Crepe Myrtles will begin to think about leafing out. They are very late but the season of bloom has lasted as late as NOVEMBER against the house, then the leaves turn a kaleidoscope of colors.

But to bring this posting back to lilacs, tomorrow I will post a picture of mine in bloom (maybe someone can identify the variety). One thing that lilacs do that Crepes don't do is spread by underground runners. I would love to start propagating mine into other areas of the yard.

@subtropix, yes, please do post photos! Thank you so much for for all of the helpful information. I'll keep an eye out for them at my local nursery.

Ha, ha, it's been raining for days now. Here is a pic of my lavender lilac from today.

What variety is it?

It's dark, so the pretty blue/lavender of the flowers is not no obvious and the picture cannot capture the beauty of the flowers or the fragrance.

These are the 12 foot 'Zuni' Crepes that bloom over the short-lived lilacs below them.

the one in the middle is Catawba, and the red are Dynamite.

The one above is Dwarf Hopi, my favorite!

Madreselva, if you really wanna see lilacs in NJ, you should go up up the NJ Botanical Gardens in Ringwood, NJ. They have a LARGE lilac collection but I am not sure when their peak is (as they are about a zone north of me), so you still have a few weeks. If you miss that, you can see their rhododendron gardens. Also great for conifer collection. Just be prepared to WALK a lot. (Free before Memorial Day.)

Amazing colors on you lilacs and crepes @subtropix!

I am new to NJ - didn't know about the botanical gardens in Ringwood. I might just take a trip there soon (though I think it's far enough that the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is closer). It would make a lovely day trip.

Brooklyn BG is known for its Japanese Cherries and garden, Chinese Magnolias, and more. Also has a variety of greenhouse from tropical, subtropical, desert, etc... It's definitely worth the trip too! If you have a family it's much more manageable than the sprawling NJBG (which may have a bit too much nature for most casual visitors). One thing I really like about BBG is how well labeled everything is. NJBG is not maintained/staffed as well as it should be.

The lavander blue might be President Lincoln.

Display needs some round flowers like viburnums and hydrangeas to contrast with and balance (50/50 is a good proportion) all the spike shaped lilac and crepe myrtle flowers.

You can't be too far from the Bronx Botanical Garden, which recently refurbished its lilac garden and is magnificent...

"Display needs some round flowers like viburnums and hydrangeas to contrast with and balance (50/50 is a good proportion) all the spike shaped lilac and crepe myrtle flowers."

There are more spiked flowers; you can't see the Butterfly bushes. I do have Peony and they're round. Hydrangeas, I like, but so do the DEER.

Are these considered round enough to balance out all the spiked flowers?

P.S., Have not been to BBG in years, but it IS a terrific resource and Bronx gem!

I grew up in the Bronx, close to the NY Botanical Garden and the Bronx Zoo. You should go to Longwood Gardens if a special trip is ever in order--simply stupendous.

I have been to Longwood Gardens several times.

Yes! President Lincoln, Flowergirl. That was the name I remember, good job!