I inherited quite a few lilac bushes when I moved into this house, thank you previous owners! They are special and I look forward to them every year. I'm especially tickled by this tablescape because I get to use my new (to me, $4.50 at the thrift store) dishes.
Love this view!
I'd like to say I'm talented enough to make dinner rolls that look like pigs,
but that's Earl, he's admiring the dishes too!
General rule of thumb for lilacs, whatever you cut this year won't bloom next year. My first year living here I took a bucket of them into the office for everyone, they loved them, but I was so disappointed the following year - live and learn!
PS - I copied this for folks that are asking about lilac care:
Prune After Bloom
If flowers are the goal (and, with a lilac, is there really any other purpose?) the most important thing to keep in mind is that they bloom on the previous season's growth. So, if you were to go out and prune them in late autumn or early spring, in an attempt to “clean up” the garden, you'd be cutting off all of the potential blooms. Let the flowers bloom, enjoy their heavenly scent, and then prune away----Prune After Bloom!
Deadhead
After lilacs bloom, and it's safe to prune them, the most important thing to do is to deadhead them. What this means is that it is necessary to cut off the spent flowers. If you leave the spent blooms on the plant, the lilac will put most of its energy into seed production (seeds, of course, are the ultimate result of flowering) instead of making flower buds for next year. The easiest way to do this is to simply snip the blooms off after they fade. If this is the only thing you ever do to your lilac, you'll be rewarded with blooms aplenty.
Have a Happy Day!
