Is growing lilac in a pot possible/ok/bad idea?

[Jux]

I would really really like a lilac tree, but can't put one in the garden and would have to put it in a pot. Is this OK, or would I be condemning an innocent plant to a life of excruciating agony for a mere whim?

I can live without it, it's just something I'd like.

I have no idea
Sorry not much help!
I'm interested to know though!

It can be done and will be ok for a few years but it will never thrive in the same way as it would in the ground.

I would say no. Lilac grows to quite a size. They are also very busy. I have one in my garden which is about 10 ft tall and we planted it about 7 years ago.

If you want something purpley, you could try a hydrangea in a pot.

It was the smell I was after, so nothing else will do

So I will need to change things in the garden to put a tree in. I don't want 'failure to thrive' laid at my door when I reach the pearly gates

Apparently you can, though dwarf varieties are recommended and need to be root pruned every year.

There's one called boomerang and another called Pixie. The question is what they smell like. Both are fragrant, but is it the same as the syringa vulgarise?

I think shape probably matters too. They're not in a pot, but I have three standard lilacs in my garden (ball-on-a-stick shape) down my main path, which I prune each year to keep them relatively small.

They're a dwarf and small-leafed variety called 'superba' which has tiny little round leaves and then very loose, slightly waxy-looking flowers that are a paler purple than your normal lilac. The smell is incredibly intense - more so than ordinary lilacs - so when you walk down the path in late May/June it is heavenly.

I think in an appropriately large pot they would be fine, provided you'd be prepared to fuss them with water and nutrients and perhaps to prune the roots after a few years.

If you are after a nice smell why don't you try a gardenia if you have a sunny sheltered spot?

Thank you, I had forgotten that dwarf varieties even existed. I think that's the way to do it. The superba sounds good. I shall investigate.

Naturally, just to be difficult, I had wanted a white one, but I think the smell is the most important thing. That's why an alternative won't really do, Primrose, but thanks for the suggestion.