Dear Master Gardener: I just planted a Bloomerang lilac. Do I need to protect it over the winter since it is newly planted?

People who love lilacs know a certain urgency, for the flowers don’t last long. At the nursery where I’ve worked on and off for seven years, there are always customers who reliably march in during the ...

The temptation is great this time of year to shape up the shrubs. Don’t. Pruning forces new growth. The new leaves and branch tips will not have enough time to harden off or prepare for winter.

The lush fragrance of lilacs is one of the delights of spring. Most neighborhoods have a few lilac bushes, covered in late April or early May with clusters of tiny purple flowers shaped like bunches ...