I got an email from one of my readers a couple of weeks ago who has enjoyed my column for a number of years, and she asked me whether she should prune her lilac now and how she should go about pruning ...

Q: We have a large tree-form lilac that needs to be trimmed back quite significantly. I can’t trim very far before I cut off a lot of leaves. What’s the best way to do this? Should I be concerned that ...

It seems lilacs always have been in one part of my mother’s garden as it was with my grandmother. Most of the time you really don’t think much of the things that normally are a part of your life. I ...

Q: My lilac has grown tall and most of the flowers are up at the top where I can’t enjoy them. Is there any way to keep this from happening if I start over with a new one? A: Beloved as they are, ...

Pruning at the wrong time can cut off next season's growth. Many plants benefit from some type of pruning, whether it's a conservative reshaping or a harder cut to rejuvenate. One plant that benefits ...

Q: My lilac shrub has grown taller than I am. Consequently, I can no longer see or smell the flowers well enough to enjoy them. Pretty soon it will be time to prune our trees and shrubs. Is winter the ...

Q: What’s growing on the trunk of my lilac tree? — Phyllis D. A: Your photo shows mushrooms growing on the trunk, which are the visible, exterior "fruiting bodies" of fungi. Mushrooms generally live ...