Syringa, Common Lilac, French Lilac 'President Grevy'

This seems like a great basic lilac- it has pretty much the classic lilac color,perhaps a bit on the blueish side, and grows well.
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In the Portland Oregon area, I have had good luck finding these early in the season at Means Nursery, and quite inexpensive.

I believe I have also gotten some at the Hulda Klager gardens, where they sell lilac plants during their lilac festival.

I had some President Lincoln lilacs that I just chopped down and planted some Grevys to replace them. The Lincolns have a nice pure blue color, but they have large leaves, and from my experience they dry out more quickly in summer than other lilacs. I had some established lilacs in my yard, and they don't require water even in the dry summers of the Portland area. So my aim is not to have to water the lilacs I have planted once they are full grown. I am pretty confident the Grevys won't need water when they are full grown. (It's possible the establishmed lilacs in my yard may be Grevys themselves, although there are so many varieties, even if the flower color and leaves look like a pretty close match.) I have a lot of doubt the Lincolns will be able to go all summer without watering even when they are full grown.

I bought 2 of these as an impulse buy from a big box store for $10 in 1 gallon pots. (sometimes I can't help myself). I planted them whe...Read Moren I built my house 17 years ago in terrible soil. They took off immediately and are my biggest lilacs. They have a "free form" shape, more than most lilacs, so if you have OCD, you would need to do a lot of trimming. They have more flowers than any of my other lilacs. The flowers are a beautiful pale blue with just a touch of lilac. The also smell great. Of my 10 lilacs, these 2 are the best.