Lilac of the week

The Lombard Garden Club postponed its annual lilac sale from just before Mother's Day to Sept. 10-12 this year. To prepare for the sale, the club is offering this weekly feature, highlighting varieties that will be available at the sale in Lilacia Park.

This week, meet Declaration (Syringa hyacinthiflora), named for the U.S. Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. Bred here in America, its showy large and fragrant reddish-purple blooms appear early in the season. It attracts butterflies and hummingbirds and is deer resistant. It reaches 6-8 feet tall and spreads 6-7 feet. This lilac bush may be planted alone as a specimen plant or in a row to create an informal hedge or screen. It makes a nice cut flower for fragrant bouquets.