I've got about a 50 year old lilac clump/stump in a 12x18" pot and it's really starting to look good. It was dug from my parents yard about 4 years ago, as they wanted the space for something else, and I just couldn't let them kill the lilac. It has set a few flowers since being potted, but pruning for branch development has kept flowers to a minimum. Perhaps someday it will get to a point where I don't mind letting a few branches flower each year, just to have the color around. As has been said though, the leaves only seem to miniaturize to about half size so far, so it will need to be a large bonsai to really look good.

Hey all, just wanted to update and thank everyone again for all the advice. I moved 11 trees and a few shrubs and so far (knock on wood) it looks like we've only lost one! I think the combination of excellent snow cover and solid cold all year and a very slow and late spring helped out. Still getting the last few in the ground, but all are leafing out nicely. Moving them around to the shade side of the garage was also key, thanks for motivating me to do that. That spot (above pic) is such that the morning sun doesn't hit it until maybe mid-March. The snow and ice cover stayed here longer than anywhere else. But once it hit, look out, those plants woke up in a hurry and were raring to get in the ground. The only loss was a pawpaw. It was in the smallest container, and really never looked great even before the move. If I had to lose one, it's the one I'm least bummed about. I am gonna stick it somewhere just in case though. It was also great to have some stuff ready to go, as the neighbors watched me move in and almost immediately start slashing and burning (no one wants to cut down trees to plant more, but we're talking about Norway maples and dead / hollow locusts towering over the garage, so they had to go). Anyway it was good to have sort of a symbolic peace offering that announced I wasn't going to pave the woods in concrete or anything. They still think I'm weird for leaving snags... but I have pileated woodpeckers and flying squirrels and all kinds of cool stuff back here! Over the next several years I'll be further thinning things out and adding other things. Thinking about a nice 'screen' of mountain laurel and rhodies going up the hill here (my yard is on the right, neighbor on the left, road at top of hill in back behind the MOUNTAIN of wood chips). At the top of this hill in the middle it flattens out quite nicely and has a great vantage point. Thinking of something majestic to overlook the yard. Ken - scarlet oak? Thanks again for the advice and encouragement, and happy spring to all. (PS had to create a new name when Houzz took over).

G'day! - Nancy, you (and any other GardenWeb posters/lurkers) are most welcome to the Spring Swap; info on the MAG Spring Swap is located on the Exchange Page. (The link is right above the messeges on the regular MAG Forum page.) It'll be May 14 this year. - Don't be shy about coming to the swap, even if you're "plant-poor" with little to trade this year. Many of us have major surpluses of certain plants; (you DO want some strawberry plants from my garden, right? They make a great "living mulch" underbedding around taller perennials, and i will have a hundred or more surplus in spring.) - Also, you could just start up extra seedlings specifically for swapping. The easiest method is to make lots of cheapie pots (i use plastic yogurt containers with drainage holes punched in the garden), sink 'em in the bed and seed them along with the rest of the garden. Then, come swap-time, just lift 'em out, wipe of the dirt, and they're ready to got, with no potting up! - Or, just bring something for the potluck picnic which follows the swap. Great folk, great food, great plants. But be prepaired to bring home plants you never knew you needed! - Cecilia, yes, i have tries airrooting, but haven't succeeded yet. i've had a bit of success rooting OTHER lilacs from cuttings (thanks, Rita!), just not this plant. i think it may just be gettting very old and no longer be vigerous enough. Sigh. - Happy gardening, -vlad

I was aiming for a restorative pruning, so I cut the large branches as close to the ground as I could with my pathetic little saw, and cut the 1" and thinner branches to about 30" in height. There does seem to be patches of lilac shoots popping up several feet away from the shrub that I can seem to get rid of, so maybe I didn't kill the thing afterall! If I do end up ditching it, what would grow good in partial sun? This spot stays covered in snow for several weeks in the winter, so it gets plenty of moisture. I thought about digging the whole thing up to make room for more perennials, but I'm working on two other areas right now as well. In the front of my house, facing South, are two unidentified shrubs that grow ridiculously fast, have to be pruned several times every summer, and make my arms itch if I touch them! They have clusters of white blossoms which turn into pea sized white berries. I'll try and post a picture to see it anyone knows what they are. My plan is to replace them with an ornamental grass, maybe "Shenandoah", but I was told to wait until spring to plant that. Last week I pulled up an enormous rose bush in another area that was also too big for the space, and replaced it with a Russian Sage. I still had room left over, so I've ordered a couple of Coreopsis "Creme Brulee". With all the plans and progress I've been making in the flower beds, my yard itself is a mess, but that's another forum, and another long story.