Encore Lilac opens lavender flowers freckled with deeper purple, set against tight evergreen foliage on a naturally rounded shrub around three feet tall. It blooms in spring, repeats through summer, and finishes with a strong fall show, and it was bred with extra cold hardiness in mind.

Plant it with four to six hours of sun, in acidic, well-drained soil with a good mulch blanket. The compact, mounded habit means it stays in bounds under windows and along walks with almost no pruning.