Lilacs

Announcing the changing of the seasons and the coming of summer, Lilacs are ubiquitous both within gardens and as a wild flower. Their scented flowers are well-known to many with whorls of fragrant blossom sitting perfectly at nose-height.Symbolising first love, their fleeting bouquet can provoke a sense of nostalgia. As a garden flower they became a popular choice in the eighteenth century, particularly across North America, and lingering shrubs and blooms in the wild are a telltale indication of where earlier dwellings might have been.Naomi Slade explores a wide range of different Lilacs, drawing our attention to the varying shades of pink, lavender, mauve, burgundy and of course, lilac, and also to white, blue and yellow varieties. Lilacs are durable plants and this book offers advice on how to care for and propagate your flowers, how to identify rare species and practical tips for how to get the most glorious blooms and the most bountiful cut flowers.

Naomi Slade is a well-known figure in the world of gardening media, where she writes and broadcasts about horticulture, design, environment and lifestyle. A biologist by training, a naturalist by inclination, and with a lifelong love of plants, she contributes regularly to a wide range of publications, including the Telegraph, The English Garden, and House and Garden. Georgianna Lane is a leading floral, garden and travel photographer whose work has been widely published. Her work has featured in BBC Gardens Illustrated, Gardener’s World, Romantic Homes and Victoria. With over 102k followers on instagram, her blog georgiannalane.com chronicles her styled floral photo shoots and her extensive international travels to photograph beautiful gardens and iconic destinations.