Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris in Mount Vernon’s Upper Garden
The Custis and Washington Families both cultivated lilacs in their gardens. John Custis (1678-1749), the father of Daniel Parke Custis (Martha Washington’s first husband), was an avid gardener. Custis traded plants and corresponded with notable horticulturists of the time. His “Brothers in the Spade” deemed the collection of lilacs in his 4 acre Williamsburg garden to be the best in America. Among his collection were the two varieties that are most prevalent in the area today: common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) and Persian lilac (Syringa x persica).
Persian Lilac (Syringa persica) in the Upper Garden at Mount Vernon estate
George Washington also counted these lilacs among his collection. The common lilac can reach 20 ft tall, has heart-shaped leaves, and the fragrant lilac or white flowers are arranged in clusters 3-7 inches long. The Persian lilac is also fragrant but only grows to about 8 feet tall. The flower clusters are about half the size of the common lilac. Washington made three entries in his diary during Feb and Mar 1785 detailing his efforts transplanting mature lilacs to the north and south garden gates. He noted the lilacs opening on April 16th of that year–similar to their 2018 timing. Both common and Persian lilacs are still grown in the Upper garden at the Mount Vernon estate.
Common Lilac along the driveway at Mount Air Historical Site
There is evidence that lilacs were planted in the Mount Vernon area as early as 1732. Dennis McCarty and his wife, Sarah Ball (a second cousin of George Washington) took up residence at Mount Air, a property located near the current intersection of the Fairfax County Parkway and Telegraph Road. A bill of lading shows lilac, hawthorne and gooseberry bushes ordered from England at that time. As late as 1984, “a magnificent lilac allee” was part of the formal gardens. In 1998, a report from Fairfax County states that lilacs hedges were still present in the remnants of the formal gardens. A recent visit to the Mount Air Historical Site resulted the sighting of only one outcropping of lilacs. An overgrown shrub, with just a few clusters of flowers at the top.
Lilac hedge along the Bowling Green at Mount Vernon
Lilacs usually bloom for 1-2 weeks, so there’s still time to see (and smell) them this year. If you are lucky enough to have lilacs in your yard, there are a couple of things you can do to ensure a good showing next year. Like forsythia, lilacs are members of the olive family (Oleaceae) and set next year’s buds quickly on the heels of this years blooms. Waiting too long to prune will cost you next year’s flowers. All or nothing pruning is best. Don’t just trim back the branches–cut them at ground level.
Follow these steps:
- If you have a young lilac (less than 5 years) Deadhead all the spent flowers,
- Remove any dead branches
- Prune any branches thicker than 2 inches at ground level
- Use the rule of thumb of only pruning back 1/3 of the shrub each year
Common Lilac at Gate to Upper Garden at Mount Vernon Estate