Re-posting from the California Gardening forum, as I didn't get any replies over there... Any inputs about mildew resistance on purple Crape myrtles - or about my idea for putting a purple-flowering Crape myrtle into the new landscape - are welcome, even if you don't live in California. Thanks!

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We are re-landscaping our front yard, and trying to decide on a variety of Crape myrtle for our new
street tree. I think (?) purple flowers will go best with our house
colors and concrete color, and with the rest of the plants in the yard
(see attached photos and rendering of new plan), so I was looking into
purple Crape myrtles. The two varieties whose colors I like the best
from the pics I've seen are the Catawba and Powhatan varieties. However,
these two types are designated as "Good" rather than "Very Good" or
"High" for mildew resistance. Does anybody have experience with either of these two
varieties? In the San Jose (California) area, or similar climates, is "Good" mildew resistance sufficient to keep
these trees mildew-free and healthy?

If it matters, the yard faces almost due south. In our back
yard, facing north, we battle mildew continuously on our Nandina plants
and on a Crape myrtle 'Acoma' back there. (So much for the 'High' mildew
resistance attributed to 'Acoma'.) OTOH, our Crape myrtle 'Tuscarora'
and 'Sioux' trees in the back yard seem to be very mildew resistant - I
have never seen mildew on either of those.

Thanks for any inputs!

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Rendering of plan for new yard:

Existing yard after removal of old trees:

Close-up showing house paint color and concrete color: