Lilacs for the Garden - Softcover

In simple plain language, you will learn how (and where and when) to plant lilacs, care for lilacs, be as much a friend to lilacs as they are to all of us.--Dan Hays"Salem Statesman Journal" (08/04/2002) Combines practical advice, personal observations, literary quotes and full-color photographs in an irresistible mix.--Jo Clavert"Canadian Living" (04/01/2003) An excellent guide.--Steve Whysall"Southam Newspapers" (05/18/2002) An excellent book for the beginner or the veteran gardener.--Gerald Filipski"The Edmonton Journal" (11/21/2007) Total details on buying, planting, pruning, diseases and propagating from cuttings; for mail-order sources and public gardens with fine displays.--Kerry Moore"Vancouver Province" (06/04/2002) Perhaps every gardener's library should include a book dedicated to this fragrant shrub.--Susan Mulvihill"Spokane Spokesman" (06/20/2003) After flipping through page after page of gorgeous photographs, I'm hooked.--David Hobson"Kitchener-Waterloo Record" (05/11/2002) A great resource book.--Rhea Hamilton-Seeger"The Rural Voice (Blyth ON)" (04/30/2008) Plain language -- combined with Bennett's seemingly limitless lilac enthusiasm -- makes caring for these hearty plants sound doable, even for readers with only a green-ish thumb.-- (05/19/2003) A lucid, beautifully illustrated (with over 90 stunning color photographs) tribute to this much-loved shrub... Well researched and written, Bennett's book is an invaluable resource for lilac amateurs and enthusiasts alike. It is highly recommended for any library's collection.-- (01/01/2004) Recommended ... The information is all there: what lilacs to select; how to plant, prune, maintain and propagate them; and what to observe when diagnosing pests.-- (05/11/2003) Well-researched and -written, and lavishly illustrated, Bennett's book is an invaluable resource for the lilac lover.--Gardening Life (06/01/2002) Full of gorgeous pictures, lilac facts ... and advice for selecting, planting, pruning and tending lilacs.-- (05/02/2002) Practical, thorough and informative ... a must-have for anyone interested in growing this gloriously hardy, sweet-smelling shrub.-- (05/04/2002) Beautifully illustrated ... likely to become a classic -- one of those you just can't bear to do without.-- (05/03/2002) Covers everything... easy to read and understand -- even as she delves into hybrids and cultivars.-- (05/01/2004) Detailed portraits... expert growing advice... prompted me to make room for four more of these beauties in my already crowded garden.-- (01/01/2004)

Jennifer Bennett has lived "lilac country" for more than 20 years, and is well placed to appreciate the lilac, which not only flourishes in cultivated gardens but roams wild across the countryside. Tracing the journey of a plant that will "grow well everywhere, in every soil," from its origins in Asia through Europe and the United Kingdom to North America some 250 years ago, Bennett brings this most familiar and glorious of flowers to vibrant life. The lilac's bloom is a sign of spring everywhere, but a lesser-known fact is that its emerging flowers are also used as indicators by farmers planning pest control and crop plantings and by scientists engaged in charting global warming. Filled with uncommon information about this common plant, Bennett's book features chapters on its history; planning, planting and pruning; the lilac's place in the landscape, whether alone, in groupings or with perennials; a species list of usual and unusual plants, with names that range from 'Charles Lindbergh' and 'Martha Stewart' to 'Charm' and 'Glory'; exotic lilacs for the adventurous connoisseur; and lilac aid, which addresses one of gardening's most vexing questions: "Why won't it bloom?" Lilacs for the Garden is a compendium of essential information for all who cherish this most resonant of garden companions. Whether you seek detail on plant requirements, mulching, grafting, fertilizing, multiplication, bloom time, fragrance, abiotic and biotic stresses, renovating neglected lilacs or a list of recommended species and where to find them, Bennett's latest book is an essential resource.