THE LILAC ZONE

'Primrose' - I don't know why this lilac is categorized as "white". When you see it next to a truly white lilac, there is nothing "white" about it, but again I don't profess to be a master of color charts. This picture really shows its buttery-yellow coloration. I insist on calling it a yellow lilac, just like I insist that Pluto is still a planet...  

'Atheline Wilbur' - This double lilac is categorized as a magenta lilac, but it exhibits unique colors in its flowers, including shades of orchid and rose. There is a lot of variation in color in the blooms, but the subtle colors in this lilac are definitely best enjoyed up-close.

'St. Joan' - Described as one of the best double white lilacs in Father Fiala's book called Lilacs - The Genus Syringa, I can understand why. Each flower is magnificent by itself, let alone seeing whole panicles of them.

'Nancy Frick' - Not only does this pink lilac have petals of such a rich and deep dark pink color, but it occasionally it exhibits multi-petaling as you can see in this picture, which makes it all the more enjoyable!

After a couple of years where we had over a dozen of our lilacs bloom for the first time, 2012 was a pretty slow year. Only 4 of our lilacs produced their first blooms. The way that I look at it though, that is 4 more than were blooming in the years before! Since it really is the only way to validate that you have the true-to-name variety, it was still pretty cool to see.