Colorful Crape Myrtle

Crape Myrtles are exploding with color here in Central Florida right now.



Everywhere we travel around town,
a sea of subtle hues greet us.
These lovely trees dot the landscape from
South Florida all the way up to northern Virgina,
with new varieties being created to withstand more northern conditions.
It seems everyone loves this fantastic bloomer.

In a spectrum of color ranging from crisp white
to deep, dark magenta blooms,
any homeowner can find the perfect shade to add to the garden.

Enjoying full sun, these beauties will keep the flowers coming
through the summer and even into the fall months.

   
Included in the list of Florida-friendly plants,
we have several growing 
in our low-maintenance backyard garden.
Bees and butterflies alike enjoy them almost year-round.




There are a few volunteers in our back bed that need transplanting.
I just love a plant that keeps on giving!

Crape Myrtles can be grown as a shrub,
or if well-pruned, make graceful trees,
allowing the handsome bark to be featured.

With moderate watering needed,
these trees are as easy to care for,
as they are to behold.

We were happy to spy them on vacation in North Carolina,
so we know that when we make our move,
we'll be able to grow them on our property there.
They add a welcoming feeling to any homestead.

Crape Myrtles are one of the best things 
about living in the South.

Here's an informative article about this Southern staple.

Busy day

We had a full day on this fine Saturday. One of our first orders of business was to visit the fundraiser in Lakeland. Every year they sell Crape Myrtle trees for just $3.50 each. I've been wanting to go the past few years, but never made it there for some reason or another. Anyway, even though it was barely 9:30 when we got there, there were only white trees left. I bought 2 for our yard and one for a friend. It's too hot to transplant anything right now unless we get a ton of rain, so I'll keep them in the pots for now.

I checked on our pumpkin seedlings and am excited to see them sprouting.

Yipppeee! It'll be fun to see our lil' guy out there picking his own pumpkin. Hopefully, we'll even have enough to share. If you can't get to the farm, sometimes you have to bring the farm to you...