Lilac - pictures please

[OliviaRwhite]

I’d like to add some large shrubs / small trees / climbers to my border (for privacy, and to try and stop so many footballs coming over from next door)! I don’t want too much shade as its west facing and gets a lot of sun, so is the main flower border.

If anyone had any lilac in their garden, can you please post a pic of what it looks like right now? Also, how fast does it grow?

TIA

@viques, thanks, glad it's not me. I'm going to try and propagate it once it's flowered, then plant it somewhere else.

I have a long, fairly narrow garden,so plants do have to pull their weight. I've got rid of a buddleia, and it was a wise move. I've in the past got rid of a hypericum, another good move. It seemed like a constant fight to keep it from taking over.

If you’re planning on pruning it regularly I would steer clear as it only flowers on the new growth. I have to prune mine as it blocks my view of the road (unsafe for driving) and so it ends up with maybe one bloom every year, which is a bit pointless. I regret placing it where I did but it’s too much effort to dig it out and replace it!

If you’re planning on pruning it regularly I would steer clear as it only flowers on the new growth. Are you sure you have that the right way round? My experience is that the new shoots don't flower, they have to be 2 years old before they start producing flowers.

It must depend on the variety because I only have to lightly prune mine to keep it about the same size - it isn't fast growing. And as long as I prune straight after flowering I get lots of flowers. My understanding is that the flower buds are formed close after the previous years blooms have faded so if you leave it too long you run the risk of pruning off all the next years buds.