I have had this grouping of 2 for 8 years now and absolutely love it - excuse the droopy lambs ear - it just got planted there

I have started Parks sonic series from seed which is the shrub crepe myrtle this year and plan to do a hedge of them out front mixing them with other flowering shrubs. I also have taken reseeders from the larger trees and planted them in other areas of the yard. I have a white one planted at the edge of the woods about 10ft in and it gives me a pop of color in August.

I love crepe myrtles - you get alot of bang for the buck with them......

Lynne

I agree with Lynne, lots of summer color with little effort, once they're established.

Mine are usually anchors for a bed, or in a grouping.

Nell

Here is a link that might be useful: Previous Crape Myrtle Thread

Sharon, you don't have to wait till fall to plant a crape myrtle. I planted 2 a few weeks ago and they're doing fine in this heat. Better to buy in bloom, so you're sure to get the one you want.

This group of two are still small. I have one to add to the rear of the grouping in the fall.

My fav crape myrtle use is in groups with many companions because they add vertical elements, midsummer color and winter stuctural interest.

Spring is a bare time for crape myrtles without companions because they are so slow to put on new leaves and bloom.

Nell

I have several tree sized crape myrtles all inherited from the previous owner. However, I only seem to have pics of one of them! The others are mostly in a shadier area.

Here this one from June

And here's a blooming shot from Sept. 07

Oh, I did find a pic of one of my others. This one actually gets quite a bit of shade from the silver maple tree the towers to the right of it. Actually, there are two flanking either side of this bed, but you can only see one in bloom. I don't keep these trimmed up as well as I should. I love the limbed up look of the first one. This is also Sept. 07

Crepe Myrtles are my advanced scouts of planting. That is, sometimes I'll plant one all by it's lonesome in the yard. As an accent tree or to add a layer of privacy. After a year or two of mowing around it, I get the brillant idea to make a bed beneath it. Then, why, I'll be darned, there's new place to plant flowers. (wink, wink) I think of them as my early pioneers.

If you plant this time of year, please hand water deeply. Crepes are quite drought tolerant once established. Don't plant too deeply.

Lynne, it's that pop of August color I'm after, too! :)
Nell, I printed out your other crape myrtle thread to keep the information. :)
Natal, I might try to plant sooner than originally planned, but LAWDY! This heat has got to let up some first. I don't have the energy to plant or water new plantings.
Cameron, I always enjoy your pictures. Always.
Lisa, how lucky for you that you got to inherit those beauties!
HappyinTexas, I had to laugh at your post! I like the way you think!

Other advantages to having Crepe Myrtles planted in the gardens are ....

They add that respite of shade in our hot southern summers but not so much to classify the garden as a shade garden

Their leaves are small and break down rather nicely in the garden and add organic matter - no need to rake them

The multi trunks add visual interest to the garden - I am toying with the idea of planting a clematis at the base of one for a spring interest.....

Lynne

I used to have Clematis growing up thorugh crape myrtles when I lived near Atlanta. The clematis bloomed ahead of the crapes.

The other neat thing about crape myrtles is, the leaves cup up to catch the dew. Hummingbirds and other small creatures drink and bathe from those 'cups.'

Nell

Mine are small. I just planted them last year but I think they are the dwarf, bush type. Time will tell...

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Oh my gosh! Those are beautiful! That is my favorite color of Crape Myrtle and yours look beautiful with the Knock Out Roses behind them. .Debbie

I don't think anyone has mentioned the beautiful Fall color of the leaves, as another plus for these fantastic plants. I have one anchoring the end of our side passage and besides the August color (something so difficult to achieve here!) come Fall the colors of the leaves are lovely. If I had the room I would grow a lot more of these wonderful shrubs/trees. Here's mine back in November 2005. It has grown a lot since then.

Eduarda

Sharon,
I have 8 crape myrtles. Just love that tree. All but 2 of mine of in flower beds.

Like Cameron, my 2008 garden pictures are suffering from over exposure so I dug up some of last years pictures so I wouldn't bore everyone to death, :-).

If you plan to ever put a flower bed around a creap myrtle beware that any soil placed around the trunk of the tree will promote new growth from the base and you will have suckers like crazy. Believe me, I am the voice of experience on this one. Crepe myrtle is prone to sending up random shoots everywhere, however if not at the base of the tree they are easy to pull up.

This is my largest myrtle. Its a beautiful tree but this time of year drops lots of 'trash' on the deck. I am out there sweeping daily.

Wow Vikki! You have an absolutely gorgeous garden! And I just have to ask...what is that red daylily in your picture? I MUST get that one!

Eduarda, you are so right about the fall color. Isn't it wonderful that such a beautiful plant offers so much at different times of the year? I love the smooth bark crapes. I love the exfoliating bark crapes. I love the blooms...size, color, and number. I love the fall color. They offer so much.

Nikkineel, that IS a gorgeous color crape. Do you know the name?

Nell and Lynne, I love, love, love clematis! Now for the BUT...but they don't love me. :( I have planted them at different spots in my garden and none are thriving. I'm so frustrated.

-Sharon

Hi Sharon. Thanks all for the compliments. I looked up the name and they are from the Razzle Dazzle series, mine are Cherry Dazzle. I saw that they were featured in a Southern Living article this month. Article says they won't grow but 4 feet wide and 3 feet tall. Let us know how you use yours:) Vicki, Thanks for the compliments. The roses were also just planted in November and they are performing beautifully. I wish I could find the yellow knockouts. I have just the spot for them....

Nikki

Hey, I have just the spot for yellow Knockouts, too, with a white crape myrtle on the end as an anchor, and pale yellow reblooming daylilies.... Lowes had yellow KO one year and I let them go by.

I am knocked out by the combo of crapes and regular knockouts. I walked out this morning to look at my pink rose bed and realized it's backed by crapes, a serendipitous unplanned bonus. Wow.

Now I need more crape myrtles to put behind the KOs in another bed. Sigh. I've tried to use more native plants lately, but there are few natives in midsummer with the impact of crape myrtles.

Nell

If not for Japanese Beetles, I would plant more of the shrub sized varieties. The JBs just devour the little crapes around here, but leave my tree sized alone.