Syringa vulgaris Madame Lemoine
Price range: £25.00 through £45.00
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Description
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Lilac ‘Madame Lemoine’
- Botanical Name: Syringa vulgaris ‘Madame Lemoine’
- Plant Type: Deciduous flowering shrub
- Mature Height: 3–4m
- Mature Spread: 2–3m
- Flowering Period: May to June
- Flower Colour: Large, double, pure white blooms; highly fragrant
- Foliage: Heart-shaped, mid-green leaves
- Hardiness: RHS H6 (hardy throughout UK & Ireland)
- Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained, moderately fertile, neutral to slightly alkaline
- Aspect: Full sun (essential for best flowering and fragrance)
- Maintenance: Low to moderate (pruning after flowering)
Description
Syringa vulgaris ‘Madame Lemoine’ is the classic white lilac—elegant, timeless, and powerfully fragrant. In late spring to early summer, this robust shrub is smothered in upright panicles of large, double, pure white flowers. The blooms are beautifully full and scented, lighting up the garden and filling the air with a rich, sweet perfume that’s impossible to ignore.
With its upright, bushy habit and lush, heart-shaped leaves, ‘Madame Lemoine’ is perfect as a specimen shrub, in mixed borders, or as a luminous, fragrant hedge. The flowers are superb for cutting, lasting well in a vase and bringing their scent and freshness indoors. Hardy and reliable, this lilac is a favourite for both traditional and contemporary gardens, thriving in Irish and UK conditions with minimal fuss.
Best performance comes in full sun and well-drained, moderately fertile soil, but ‘Madame Lemoine’ is adaptable and cold hardy, coping well with urban and rural conditions alike. It’s a brilliant choice for gardeners who treasure both colour and scent.
Caragh Garden Notebook
Planting:
Space plants 1.5–2.5m apart depending on the effect you want. Plant container-grown specimens in spring (March–May) or early autumn (September–October). Choose a position in full sun for the best flowering and fragrance. Dig a generous hole, loosen the soil well, and incorporate compost or well-rotted manure to support establishment. Plant at the same depth as in the pot, firm in gently, water thoroughly, and mulch.
Space plants 1.5–2.5m apart depending on the effect you want. Plant container-grown specimens in spring (March–May) or early autumn (September–October). Choose a position in full sun for the best flowering and fragrance. Dig a generous hole, loosen the soil well, and incorporate compost or well-rotted manure to support establishment. Plant at the same depth as in the pot, firm in gently, water thoroughly, and mulch.
Soil Preparation:
Prefers neutral to slightly alkaline, moist but well-drained soil. Avoid waterlogged or very acidic soils. Improve heavy clay with compost and grit to aid drainage; improve sandy soils with compost to retain moisture. Mulch annually to conserve moisture and feed the soil.
Prefers neutral to slightly alkaline, moist but well-drained soil. Avoid waterlogged or very acidic soils. Improve heavy clay with compost and grit to aid drainage; improve sandy soils with compost to retain moisture. Mulch annually to conserve moisture and feed the soil.
Seasonal Care:
Low to moderate maintenance. Deadhead spent flower panicles after blooming to encourage strong growth and prevent unwanted seeding. Prune lightly after flowering to maintain shape and remove any dead or congested wood. Avoid hard pruning, as lilacs flower on old wood and heavy cuts can reduce blooming for a year or more.
Low to moderate maintenance. Deadhead spent flower panicles after blooming to encourage strong growth and prevent unwanted seeding. Prune lightly after flowering to maintain shape and remove any dead or congested wood. Avoid hard pruning, as lilacs flower on old wood and heavy cuts can reduce blooming for a year or more.
Pests & Problems:
Generally trouble-free. Watch for powdery mildew in damp summers—good spacing and airflow help prevent issues. Lilac borer can occasionally affect older wood; prune out affected stems if needed.
Generally trouble-free. Watch for powdery mildew in damp summers—good spacing and airflow help prevent issues. Lilac borer can occasionally affect older wood; prune out affected stems if needed.
Propagation:
Propagate from softwood cuttings in early summer or by layering in autumn. Grafted nursery plants give the most reliable results.
Propagate from softwood cuttings in early summer or by layering in autumn. Grafted nursery plants give the most reliable results.
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