I love the look and smell of lilacs this time of the year, but have some questions. The ones I usually see around here (Midwest USA zone 5) are very sparse at the bottom. Is that the way they are supposed to be? I would like to plant a row about 20 feet from the house, but I don't like the look of the ones I see when they are not in bloom. Is it because the ones I have seen are not pruned correctly or is this the way it grows? If it is supposed to be bushy at the top and thin at the bottom, what would be some good shade plants to help cover up the bottom?
Thanks for your help Tracey