Syringa x hyacinthiflora Maidens Blush - Lilac

The Hyacinth-flowered Lilac or Syringa x hyacinthiflora 'Maiden's Blush' is a vigorous and very floriferous hybrid, undoubtedly one of the best in its category. This deciduous bush is remarkable in all respects: insensitive to cold, with a compact and bushy habit as desired, it is covered quite early in spring with beautiful clusters of single florets, of a pretty tender pink shade, which diffuse a sweet fragrance. Its foliage, more resistant to diseases, takes on a beautiful autumn colour, golden to bronze. Both elegant and original, this variety is as interesting in a flowering hedge, as planted in a group or even alone near the house to enjoy its wonderfully fragrant unrestrained flowering.

Hyacinth-flowered lilacs are group of plants resulting from the hybridization of Syringa oblata, a pretty little Chinese lilac with early flowering, very fragrant and with superb autumn foliage, and S.vulgaris, the common lilac that is more familiar to us. The first of these hybrids were born in France, then developed in California from where we get very beautiful varieties still available, including 'Maiden's Blush', born in 1966. All these plants belong to the Oleaceae family.

The Lilac 'Maiden's Blush' forms an upright, ramified bush, almost as wide as it is high. As an adult, it will not exceed 2.50m (8 ft 2 in) in height for a spread of 2 m (6 ft 7 in). Its growth is quite rapid, encouraged by a rich and moist soil. This variety blooms abundantly in April-May, 7 to 10 days before the common lilacs, in the form of very fragrant pyramidal thyrsus, 10 to 20 cm (3.9 to 7.9 in) long, composed of small single flowers, pale pink in colour, deep pink in buds. These inflorescences are grouped in bouquets at the end of the previous year's shoots. The flowering attracts many butterflies.

Whether it is the fragrance, flowering, childhood memories or even as symbol of a significant event, everyone has a good reason to love lilacs, as endearing as they are unpretentious. The Lilac 'Maiden's Blush' is no exception: easy to grow in moist soil, even in cold regions, and very vigorous, it embodies the charm and simplicity inherent to old gardens. It is a major element for the creation of a scent garden, its flowering accompanying that of hawthorns and cytises, pink or white brooms. It can be planted at the edge of a grove, in a group, alone or in the form of a free hedge mixed with other trees (flowering apple trees, Japanese cherry trees, Chinese almond trees, Japanese quinces, Deutzias...). Its beautiful, very fragrant clusters are appreciated in spring bouquets, in the company of the first garden iris, campanulas and florist's ranunculus.