Dwarf lilacs look and smell just like their full-size counterparts, only they actually bloom every year and don’t get racked with insects and diseases.

This week's Plant Pick of the Week is a fragrant dwarf lilac with deep-pink flowers.

Q: I see some plant tags say “standard” on species like lilac, rose and hydrangea. What does that mean? A: When a shrub that is normally multi-stemmed and rounded/mounding in its growth habit ...

Take, for instance, Syringa x ‘Penda,’ a fragrant, dwarf lilac that blooms repeatedly through the summer. If you do prune this dwarf lilac, there’s no ladder involved.

Lilacs, peonies, hostas and dogwoods are timeless additions to the garden.

The lilac is also associated with Easter since they bloom kind of close to that time. Then again so are Easter lilies, daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, hydrangea, and roughly 10,000 other plants.

Why grow lilacs if you can’t reach the blooms to smell or bring indoors? Tip: Plants that are labeled as dwarf may not be as compact as it says on the plant label.

It combines royal-purple and snow-white blossoms in one plant. Rosea offers pink blooms, and Mini-Ha-Ha is a shrubby dwarf growing just 3 feet tall and wide. Lilac vines also grow well in pots.

Lilacs were a mainstay of early gardens because they stood up to the rigors of transcontinental travel, could survive our harsh winters and were drought tolerant. The perfect plant.

Q: We want to plant a hedgerow of lilacs. How soon can we plant them in mid-Michigan? Steve Drews, Lapeer A: When depends on the growth stage of the plants you ultimately buy. If the plants are ...

Why grow lilacs if you can’t reach the blooms to smell or bring indoors? Tip: Plants that are labeled as dwarf may not be as compact as it says on the plant label.