Snowflake wrote:

My next door neighbour painted our adjoining fence last year with
creosote and my well established lilac tree at 4 ft has died. My
neighbour is pleased because she did not want the tree there at her
fence but I do not know whether I can replant, or is the soil no
longer good for anything? Could I have a lilac in a pot so thet she
can do no more harm?

Wasn't creosote banned last year ?
Duncan