The common lilac varieties can grow 10 to 15 feet tall and wide, so place them where they can grow large. Lilacs make a good addition to a mixed shrub border in full sun. If a lilac is in too much shade it won’t flower well. Some varieties are prone to powdery mildew, which is usually just a cosmetic problem. Lilacs grow best in soil with a pH that’s between 6.5 and 7.0; if your soil is naturally acidic, you might want to lime around the plants or scatter wood ashes in the area. 

There are many cultivars and other species of lilacs that grow to different sizes and shapes of plants. Prune all types of lilacs right after they flower. 

The featured lilac at the top of this post is Syringa vulgaris ‘Sensation.”