Lilacs

When I was growing up, I don't recall paying that much attention to lilacs.  Maybe my mother's lilacs weren't so impressive in those years.  Nearly 40 years ago, my husband and I bought our first house in a neighborhood that had several established lilac "trees."  They were in a variety of shades of lilac, as well as white.  In our own backyard, the old white lilac had grown to the size of a tree; some years later, a heavy, wet snowfall took it down.  Since then, I've planted starts from various places among the remains of that old shrub. Now it blooms white (not very pretty blossoms) and a pale lilac.  At least three other shades of lilac grow there, but they haven't bloomed yet. Across the street, three very old lilacs bushes grow next to the alley.  One has the darkest lavender blooms and lasts longer than other in the neighborhood.  I asked for some of the dark ones to use with my pale lilacs.