Common lilac

Common lilac, which is rarely grown in its basic fragrant lilac-pink form, was introduced from the mountains of South-Eastern Europe in the 16th century, and has since produced numerous varieties, many of them similar to each other. This old and still popular double white is one of the loveliest and most reliable. It has good fragrance and flowers profusely, the neat compact heads of creamy yellow buds opening early in May to make a fine display of glistening white. Plants are usually grafted on S. vulgaris rootstocks. To encourage big flowers and to keep the plant's size in check, prune out a third of the branches each year. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it their Award of Garden Merit (AGM).