I am often asked about what is the most beautiful lilac. I myself like to ask this question to all lovers and fans of lilac, because some will cause surprise, often even bewilderment, and therefore quite a natural desire to get to know them better. Although there is nothing to be surprised – every new spring is preparing us another discovery, and lilac, which up to this point all ignored, suddenly eclipses the beauty of their more famous sisters.
We can say with full confidence that there are no ugly lilacs, like women, there are unkempt, neglected and poorly formed. There is a wrong place to land. After all, how well represented cultivar in the landscape, depends largely on his perception.
Its adjustments are constantly making a difficult climate. In the spring of 2005, when the long cold rainy weather suddenly gave way to a 30-degree heat, instantly blossomed inflorescences burned out within 1-2 days. All dark-colored varieties looked pale and faded, causing confusion among those who had never seen before “live” or ‘Frank Paterson’ or ‘Lady Lindsay’ or ‘Dawn of communism’, but found in the literature of their description. But ‘Hydrangea’, ‘Madame Charles Sushe’ and ‘Dream’ confirmed their right to be among loved ones.
In 2006, too, was not without surprises: cool weather postponed flowering for almost two weeks. Siren revealed gradually and keep saturated color. Even the pink and blue varieties looked brighter. For the first time I was able to see the really dark purple and purple colors of lilacs, as well as to evaluate a number of varieties that in previous years left me completely indifferent. The abundance of flowering of some, the unusual structure of the flower of others, the bright color of the third forced to look with different eyes as the old, forgotten varieties, and new breeding.
- ‘Thunberg’ Lemoine
Lilac, named after Professor of botany Carl Tunberg, is characterized by beautiful large thick purple flowers with light blue. The petals are pointed, bent inward. Inflorescences large, durable, elongated. Bushes compact, low. Late flowering variety.
- ‘Capitaine Perrault’ Lemoine
Large pinkish flowers with an unusual shade of Malva consist of 2.5 corollas, the tips of the petals of which are slightly twisted inside. Inflorescences dense, slender, but fragile. Bushes are medium-sized (at the age of 10 do not exceed 2 m), compact.
- ‘Georges Claude’ Lemoine
Large double symmetrical flowers shimmer with light purple and blue shadows, which is especially beautiful in the evening light. Inflorescence large, sharp, dense. Bushes of medium height, compact.
- ‘Edith Cavell’ Lemoine
Dark green heart-shaped leaves, beautiful large flowers and large inflorescences, exquisite aroma and high stability in the culture – this is one of the best lilacs in the world.
- ‘Henry Robert’ Lemoine
Inflorescences of this variety are small, but very dense. Large flowers, consisting of 2 corollas, tightly adjacent to each other, have a beautiful bluish-purple color. The Bush is low and compact.
- ‘Night’ Havemeyer
Large dark purple flowers are collected in large showy inflorescences. Foliage is dark green. Bushes of medium height, compact. Beautiful dark lilac!
- ‘Fantasy’ Clark
Large purple buds open into charming double symmetrical flowers of a pleasant pinkish-purple color, fading to white when flowering. Inflorescences large, slender, very dense. The bushes are neat, straight, medium height. Blooms early.
- ‘Swartmore’ Skinner
This spectacular early variety is distinguished by large slender openwork inflorescences, formed from 2 – 6 pairs of strong panicles. Medium-sized purple flowers consist of narrow, curved in different directions petals with uneven whitish shading. The bushes high and wide.
- ‘Mount Baker’ Skinner
Greenish-yellow buds open in white simple flowers with wide rounded petals, bent back at full dissolution. Inflorescences delicate, light. Flowering is so abundant that sometimes you can not even see the foliage. Bush height – 3 m, width – 2.5. Early variety, very effective.
- ‘Temptation’ Peart
One of the leading canadian specialists in lilac Bruce Peart, with whom we, unfortunately, just 2 days missed in the fall in Beijing, sent me a photo of his new variety ‘Temptation’. Amazing new product, which has not yet been able to multiply, and already very much want to buy.
- ‘Clarke’s Giant’ Clark
Fully justifying its name, this variety will amaze you with its large bluish-purple flowers, the size of which is 3.5 cm, huge durable inflorescences, rather sparse and intermittent, large broad leaves, vigorous bushes with thick shoots. Very impressive lilac with an early flowering period – for fans of all monumental.
- ‘Pom Pom’ Robinson
Plentiful canadian lilac with large inflorescences beautiful smooth purple color. Very elegant looks in bloom – like fluffy pompons hung on the branches.
- ‘Mrs Watson Webb’ Havemeyer
This lilac, which John Fiala called one of the most beautiful, very spectacular, large openwork inflorescences. The flowers are 2.5 cm in diameter. the lower side of the Corolla, painted in shades of black, darker than the upper, pinkish-purple with some enlightenment in the center.