Around the Farm, there are over 800 lilacs of 335 different types of plants.

The following four readily accessible places (marked in blue on the Map of the Farm) are where most of the lilacs can be found.

1. Ornamental Gardens

The greatest concentration is in the Ornamental Gardens in the Lilac Walks – 273 plants of 224 types of early, mid, late and very late bloomers. (Map of Ornamental Gardens) Planting was started there in 1920.

The lilacs are arranged in four rows for easy viewing with plaques showing the name, originator and year of introduction. For detailed information on these lilacs, go to the Rows section of the Main Menu.

S. ×hyacinthiflora 'Grace'
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The Macoun Memorial Garden in the Ornamental Gardens contains several lilacs, including four of Isabella Preston's early-blooming originations, S. ×hyacinthiflora 'Grace' (at right), 'Muriel', 'Norah' and 'Patricia' .

Here also can be found two S. meyeri 'Palibin', on standards, and S. reticulata 'Chantilly Lace', a variegated-leaf cultivar of the Japanese tree lilac. Nearby (north-west of the Macoun Memorial Garden) is S. reticulata 'Ivory Silk' . This cultivar, originated by J.J. Pokluda, Sheridan Nurseries, Ontario is very popular in Ottawa and grown extensively.

A new group of lilacs, the Preston Heritage Collection, in the southern area of the Ornamental Gardens (see map), was started in 2005. This planting of Villosae Group lilacs honours Isabella Preston, renowned plant breeder at the Central Experimental Farm, 1920-1946. She pioneered the development of attractive, Canada-hardy, late-blooming lilacs. The collection includes examples of lilacs developed by Miss Preston as well as cultivars of other originators throughout the world. The collection contains 59 plants with more to be added in the future.

2. Along Carling Avenue

Cultivars of S. vulgaris predominate, some of which are not found elsewhere on the Farm: 'Arthur William Paul', 'Banquise', 'Calvin C. Laney', 'Comte Horace de Choiseul', 'General John Pershing', 'General Kitchener', 'Pinkie', and 'Prince Impérial'.

3. Campus Area

S. 'Grace Mackenzie'
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Immediately in front (to the south) of the William Saunders Building there are 12 lilacs. Cultivars here, not found elsewhere, are S. vulgaris 'Alice Eastwood' and 'Decaisne'.

There are 21 others in the area and in the south-east are several unique cultivars, S. 'Grace Mackenzie', S. (Villosae Group) 'Lutèce', 'Bellicent', 'Mrs. J. Herbert Alexander' and S. vulgaris 'Maud Notcutt'.

4. Arboretum

S. reticulata and subsp. amurensis
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On the slope just south of the toboggan hill in the Arboretum is the site of the original plantings in the 1890s. Many were moved, but a few S. vulgaris cultivars and tree lilacs remain. Among the latter is the Arboretum's only S. pekinensis, planted in 1902. Other tree lilacs in the area are several plants of S. reticulata (Japanese tree lilac) and subsp. amurensis (Amur or Manchurian lilac).

Further to the east and south, along the Farm road, is a grouping which includes the two oldest Farm lilacs, S. vulgaris var. alba and var. purpurea (planted 1889).

S. tomentella
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Farther east is a grouping of species lilacs, S. emodi, S. komarowii and subsp. reflexa, S. oblata, S. ×persica, S. pubescens subsp. patula, S. sweginzowii, S. tomentella, S. wolfii, and S. yunnanensis.

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