Syringa vulgaris Madame Lemoine - Common Lilac

Syringa vulgaris 'Madame Lemoine' is an old variety of Lilac created in France in 1890 by Victor Lemoine. Vigorous, this large bush with the appearance of a small tree is adorned in late spring with large fluffy panicles of double white flowers, emitting a slightly sweet fragrance with a hint of bitter almond. It is part of the so-called 'common' lilacs, unmatched and unrivalled in their lavishness, freshness and the clarity of their fragrance. It is also one of those that produce many suckers at their base, which are easy to transfer from one garden to another.

Syringa vulgaris 'Madame Lemoine' belongs to the Oleaceae family, like all horticultural hybrid lilacs obtained in the late 19th century. It is often forgotten that its ancestor, the common lilac, also known as the European lilac, is native to Southeast Europe and Western Asia, more precisely the Balkan Peninsula, and arrived in Western Europe at the end of the Renaissance. In nature, this indomitable plant with its highly scented blue-violet-purple flowers colonises rocky hillsides and braves cold winters.

The 'Madame Lemoine' variety was rewarded by the Royal Horticultural Society for its ornamental qualities and ease of cultivation. Over the years, this lilac forms a small tree with an upright and rounded habit, reaching an average height of 4 m (13.1 ft) and a spread of 2.50 m (8.2 ft). It naturally develops into a bush composed of several stems, similar to the mock orange with which it should not be confused. Its stump produces suckers that sometimes need to be removed to maintain its beautiful appearance as a small tree. Its triangular and heart-shaped leaves, measuring 4 cm to 12 cm (1.6 in to 4.7 in) in length and 3 cm to 8 cm (1.2 in to 3.1 in) in width, appear in spring in a medium green shade with a satin finish. Flowering occurs in May, earlier or later depending on the climate. At the ends of one-year-old branches, pairs of compound clusters, called thyrses, measuring 15 cm to 18 cm (5.9 in to 7.1 in) in length, appear. The cream-coloured flower buds open into double white flowers, creating a delightful inflorescence that combines these two pastel colours. The fragrance of the flowers is fairly moderate.

The strength emanating from the aged silhouette of a lilac, anchored on multiple trunks, as well as the generosity of its flowering, sometimes deserve a prominent place, isolated, in a small garden. Surrounded by a bed of ground cover roses and catmints, in a dedicated small space, this modest subject will become a grandiose bush, covered in glory in the heart of spring. Easy to grow in cool and relatively moist climates, even in mountainous areas, 'Madame Lemoine' thrives in ordinary, moist, preferably limestone, yet well-drained soil. Use it abundantly, mixed with other varieties in shades of pink, mauve or red, in large flowering hedges, alongside single-flowered roses, mock oranges, serviceberries, Crataegus 'Paul's Scarlet', Cotinus or large butterfly bushes (Buddleia alternifolia). A hedge of lilacs, flowering cherries, Chinese almonds, flowering plums, and ornamental apple trees, planted above a large sunken avenue, is a true delight in spring.