The heady fragrance of lilacs is a signal that Spring is in the air. Known as the “Queen of Shrubs,” lilacs offer a stunning palette of colors from shades of purple and blue to magenta, pink and white. The Lilac Walk at Laurelwood showcases a variety of these fragrant, colorful shrubs with a range of bloom times, plant size and intensity of fragrance. It is located in the area known as “the back 40,” which can be reached from Brook Road by turning right onto Cedar Hill.
<—-Lilac ‘Edith Cavell’
Lilac ‘Maiden’s Blush’—->
The first lilacs were planted in various locations throughout the arboretum by Dorothy Knippenberg many years ago. She also made a nursery of lilacs up on the hill above the pond. After Dorothy’s death, Horticultural Manager Joan Scott-Miller transplanted the lilacs from Dorothy’s nursery to create a Lilac Walk. Joan and a dedicated team of volunteers have added new varieties in unique colors to the collection and continued to prune, fertilize and weed these colorful shrubs.