If your lilac shrub looks healthy ... it might not be necessary to reach for the fertilizer. For more information on plants and shrubs to feed in spring, see our guide on how and when to fertilize ...

Trees and shrubs need to be fed very soon to get ... where most of the trees roots are located closer to the tree or shrub.

It looks best in a naturalized woodland setting, beneath shrubs and trees. They can easily become overrun by competing ...

Plants with marginally hardy stems such as clematis and shrub roses should be pruned back to live wood. Hardier shrubs such as late blooming spireas and smooth (snowball) hydrangeas should be pruned ...