I like to trail a lot of the plants we are thinking of using before adding them to our clients landscapes. One plant we are trying this year is the Bloomerang Lilac, a newer reblooming variety. So far, the plant is doing well since planting it earlier this year at my house in New Milford, an accomplishment considering the hottest July on record. Although I planted the lilac after what would be the typical bloom for most lilacs, my Bloomerang started flowering the beginning of August and the plant has been in flower for a couple of weeks now. What I have noticed with this late summer rebloom is that the flowers are small yet fragrant. Although it is exciting to have a lilac flowering in late summer, something a little disappointing is the amount of flowers. I’m hoping the typical spring blooms are more abundant than the flowers that come with rebloom which are a little sparse. Something I also noticed is unlike most reblooming plants that send out intermittant flowers after initial bloom, this lilac seems to take a break and then go into full bloom again. I wouldn’t say it is a heavy flowerer. I cant’ wait to compare next years spring bloom with this current late summer bloom. If Syringa ‘Bloomerang’ survives a Litchfield County winter and blooms heavier in the spring that it does in the late summer, I would say it is a definite keeper but only time will tell.
