The French lilac appears in the Conservatory Garden for a few weeks each spring and summer. If the weather is very dry, they will perhaps bloom for longer. Lilacs may bloom in white, blue, pink, or purple - in the Conservatory Garden they are usually a deep, rich purple. Visitors to Central Park can enjoy the sweet, fragrant smell of the French lilac. Their delicate petals clump to form large, heavy blossoms. These shrubs grow several feet tall, enabling them to give both height and hue to the Garden's landscape. A member of the Syringa family, the lilac grows in temperate climates and has long been a favorite plant in parks and gardens.