Wild Lilac Splendor

I often wonder how old these bushes are; found hugging abandoned farmhouses along the county roads. Wild and free - swaying in the mid-afternoon, pre-storm breeze. The scent was a divine and familiar fragrance. Lilac splendor.

Want to see the world's largest collection of Lilacs? Head west from Toronto on the Queen Elizabeth Hwy and if it's late spring, in about an hour you can enjoy strolling through the world's largest collection of lilacs. The Royal Botanical Gardens features more than 800 varieties of this fabulously fragant flower. The best time to plan to visit this National Historic Site for the lilacs is late May, during the Lilac Festival, when the scent and color of the lilacs are peaking and you can enjoy special tours and demonstrations. Most lilacs are shrubs, except Japanese tree lilacs and Peking lilacs, which can grow as high as 18.5 metres/60 feet. Here, in the Lilac Dell and along the RBG's introductory Lilac Walk, the bushes are kept to 1.8-2.8 (6-9 feet), so they can be fully enjoyed when you wander among them. In late June and early July the Gardens' two acres of roses will be in bloom.