Yes! that is how I ended up seeing your post. I bought a flowering lilac when visiting Oregon and planted here (Bay Area, CA) and have the same experience as you do. Have not found an answer yet but some say be patient!
Leafminers
Yes they do, in the winter.
Are lilac bushes acid loving plants OR DO THEY NEED ALKALINE FERTILIZER
Lilac bushes have been around for a long time. It was growing in southeastern Europe before Christ's time.
it is an idiom
I just read on Fox Hills Lilac Farm's website that the best time is between April and Oct. They stated that 75% are done in the fall.
Yes, lilac bushes are toxic when burned because they release compounds such as hydrogen cyanide, which can be harmful when inhaled. It is recommended to avoid burning lilac bushes or any parts of the plant.
Lilac bushes are not listed on the Cornell University's list of poisonous plants. The University of Arkansas information booklet on poisonous plants has listed Lilac as nonpoisonous with edible flowers (can be used for food). CAUTION: Now don't get lilac bushes confused with the Persian Lilac (aka Chinaberry Tree) which is NOT related to true lilacs at all. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center list the Persian Lilac tree as poisonous to dogs and horses.
Lilac bushes can be pruned in the late winter if the bush is overgrown. However, lilacs should be lightly pruned in early spring after they have finished blooming.
lilac bushes "hibernate" during cold weather like frost and snow like many other plants.
See: http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/plantfinder/lilac-syringa_2.asp April: Feed your Lilac Tree. Scatter a couple of handfuls of bonemeal around (but not touching) the base of the plant and cover with a mulch of well-rotted compost.
cutting them, or using a stick to wrap round to make them grow that way