Dire Straits

This lilac developed a bracket fungus a couple of years ago. It moved into the heartwood and has just died back. No option but to chop and clean out the stump. Its not honey fungus, fortunately.

 This photo is more benign - geraniums benefit from being chopped back in July when they get straggling and flowering finished. They grow back quickly (bottom picture) and flower again.

This lilak