Kathleen wrote:
A friend recently sent me some info on "Descanso Hybrids".
http://www.sunset.com/sunset/Premium...s297/Lilacs297.
html
The first low-chill lilac, called 'Lavender Lady', was developed in Southern
California 30 years ago by Walter Lammerts, a researcher and hybridizer with
Rancho del Descanso--a former wholesale nursery that's now the site of
Descanso Gardens, a botanical garden open to the public. "Walter was an
excellent hybridizer," says Bob Boddy, son of the nursery's owner. "He came
up with a progeny of 350 potentially outstanding low-chill lilacs." Although
many varieties of lilacs are sometimes attributed to Lammerts, 'Lavender
Lady' and 'Angel White' were his only direct creations.

I am about to try this company for some lilac bushes:
lilacs that you can grow in Zone 9 http://www.spi.8m.com/

With hope and heart,
Kathleen
SNIP
Cool, my wife has childhood memories of lilacs that must be assuaged!