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Weather on the eastern plains of Colorado can be torturous for spring blooming plants like lilacs. Dry mild winters and strong winds combined with sudden subfreezing temperatures in April is the recipe for disaster. March often brings good rains and warmer days to Colorado, promoting early flower formation. Then you get a mid April frost and they are lost.

This winter was exceptionally dry and mild, so I soaked the lilac bushes several times during the season to prevent dessication. The early spring frosts were not too bad this year and all the flowers survived! The lilacs are now in full bloom and I have quite a few of them in front of the house - mostly the deep purple blooming common lilac (Latin name Syringa vulgaris), like the bush in the attached picture (taken last night). The smell is so totally overwhelming, yet very pleasant and can be felt over 100 feet away.

This is the best showing since we moved in the house four years ago.