Kay Easton wrote in message ...

Assuming your lilac has several 'trunks' try taking one of them out at
the bottom. This will generate lots of shoots low down, which won't
flower in the first year but should start flowering the next year. Then
you can take out another trunk, and so on until all the trunks have
gone, and you have a lilac flowering at a decent height.

Of course, then you are stuck with the lilac and will never get your
crab ;-)

Really? Sounds too good to be true! Aha, but when you say 'trunks'...
I have one main very gnarled one at the base, and then at about 4 ft
two 'branches', which are also pretty gnarled and go up and out into
the twiglets at about 15 ft. Can I safely lop one of the branches?
Please say yes!

Katharine