It is no wonder Rochester, NY is known as the Lilac Capital of the World. Each Spring, the heady scent from over 1200 bushes and 500 varieties of lilacs make Rochester’s Highland Park one of the most fragrant places on earth. The popularity of these beautiful May flowers inspired Rochester’s longest running festival, its Annual Lilac Festival.
In 1967, Dan Morgan, a marketer from Charlotte (a suburb of Rochester) who also happened to be a former horticultural student, came up with the idea to capture the fragrance of lilacs in a perfume. After many months of collaborating and testing, perfumers and research chemists developed a scent that combined the oils from 7 varieties of Highland Park’s lilacs.
The perfume was eventually discontinued, but at Morgan’s 50th High School reunion, pals were reminiscing about the fragrance. Morgan contacted International Fragrance, and it turned out the original formula had been preserved on microfiche! In 2003, the perfume was reintroduced with much acclaim.
This fragrances has received national awards, international gold medals, and has been presented to five first ladies of the U.S.
You can purchase Highland Lilac Perfume onsite at the Rochester Lilac Festival, but if you can’t make the festival, it is also available from Highland Lilac or from Lilac Hill Nursery. A 1 ounce bottle retails for $49.95.
If you love the scent of lilacs, a small touch of this timeless fragrance will make you feel as if you’re standing in a grove of lilacs, their fragrance wafting on the breeze.
Highland Lilac Perfume photo courtesy of Lilac Hill Nursery.
The Finger Lakes Travel Maven 
April 6, 2009 at 8:15 am
Hi Carol,
Thanks for sharing this wonderful story. It brought back a flood of memories. As a child I often attended the Lilac Festival. My mom and I were among the first Rochester women to enjoy wearing this perfume.
Sue Freeman, Footprint Press Recreation Guidebooks, http://www.footprintpress.com
April 30, 2009 at 9:25 am
I’ve have bought lilac perfume you folks once before. Just like last time ? 2007 or
2008 ? We were surprised and once again perplexed to find neither a telephone number
nor the address.
We have another customer for you wanting
this information (mentioned).
Sincerely,
Jerry Serwas for Anna
April 30, 2009 at 10:32 am
Hi Jerry –
I did not find an address available for Highland Lilac Perfume, but you can either order online at ttp://www.highlandlilac.com or call 1.800.411.1602 to order perfume.
Good luck and I hope your friend enjoys the perfume!
My best,
Carol
May 9, 2011 at 4:22 pm
I wore Highland Lilac from the vey beginning. It was my signature fragrance for all the years it was available. I was heartbroken when it was no longer avaiable. It was just wishful thinking a few years back, when I checked to see if there was anything about it on the internet. Well lo and behold, it was avaiable in the perfume.
Living in Florida, you don’t get to smell lilacs, but I can!! I only wish they still made the cologne and bath products!!
May 10, 2011 at 5:53 am
Arla –
Thanks so much for sharing! The Highland Lilac perfume is really lovely and the best part is that you have the scent of lilacs all year long instead of only for a couple of weeks in the spring!