Duo of Double-flowered Lilacs

We offer you a duo of double-flowered lilacs bringing together the varieties 'Madame Lemoine' and 'Charles Joly'. These old French cultivars by Victor Lemoine, which have proven their worth, are still among the most planted in gardens. In spring, these tall shrubs that can become true small trees, reaching heights of 4 to 5.50 m (13 to 18ft), are covered in frothy and fragrant clusters, white or wine-coloured depending on the plant. Use them in a large flowering hedge, along with other shrubs that flower in spring or summer. Of course, you can pick their flowers to make glorious bouquets.

The duo consists of:

-1 Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) 'Madame Lemoine': a variety rewarded in England by the Royal Horticultural Society. This vigorous lilac reaches 4 m (13ft) in height and has a spread of 2.75 m (9ft), on average, it produces numerous suckers at its base. It bears large clusters of double white flowers (up to 18 cm (7in) long) with a slight sweet scent on a background of bitter almond. Blooms in May.

-1 Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) 'Charles Joly': a variety dating back to 1896, reaching 5.50 m (18ft) in height and having a spread of 3.50 m (11ft). The shrub also produces suckers. Its clusters are tightly packed, quite small, but very numerous. The double flowers are reddish-purple in colour. They have a pronounced fragrance. Blooms in April-May.

Plant these lilacs preferably in autumn, in deep, loose, rich garden soil, preferably slightly chalky, not too dry in summer. A sunny exposure promotes spectacular flowering, but the shrub tolerates partial shade. Dig a planting hole at least 3 times the size of the root ball. In an informal hedge, maintain a spacing of 1.50 to 2 m (5 to 7ft) between each plant, as these varieties expand and sucker with age. If you want to make them into small trees and plant them in isolation, for example on a lawn, you will need to monitor the appearance of suckers and remove them.

A few ideas to accompany this lilac duo in a hedge: large roses such as 'James Galway' and 'Madame Alfred Carrière', the mock orange Philadelphus coronarius, Amelanchier canadensis, hawthorns, Buddleia alternifolia, flowering crabapples... You can also showcase your lilacs by surrounding their base with a bed of groundcover roses and catmints.