- Author: Launa Herrmann
When our family moved from the Bay Area to Vacaville five years ago, I looked forward to warm fog-less summers sitting beside the swimming pool in our small backyard. But I found out that sitting is a rare occurrence since seven 20-year old Redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens) and three Crape myrtles (Lagerstoemia indica) border the pool. When my husband and I aren't scooping out cones and needles, we're glaring at the myrtle trees bursting with aerodynamic blooms fit for the slightest breeze.
We determined that this year would be different. By late-July we hatched a plan to conquer the blossom drop. Before the petals started falling, we started pruning. One by one, flower clusters...
- Author: Kathy Thomas-Rico
The crape myrtles are blooming. Have you noticed? They’re pretty hard to miss, what with their beautiful blossoms in hot fuchsia, spicy red, pale lavender, pretty pink and clear white. These woody perennials thrive in Solano’s zones and offer year-round interest: peeling bark in winter and spring, blooms in summer, and fall leaf color.
I just stumbled across something I’d not realized about Lagerstroemia, the genus also known as crape myrtle. Not everyone spells it like that: CRAPE myrtle. Many spell it CREPE myrtle. Apparently, this is a long-running horticultural debate. Whether it’s spelled crape myrtle, crepe myrtle, crapemyrtle, crepemyrtle or crepe myrtles may simply be a geographical...
- Author: Mary B. Gabbard
Today’s my day to blog, and I’m at a bit of a loss. My son’s 19th birthday is today, and he’s away at school in New York. This is a first for our family-celebrating a birthday without the guest of honor! So how does this relate to a gardening blog? Well, when I think about planting, I typically think about planting for the season. Today, however, my thoughts are turned toward planting to remind us about special events in our lives. For instance, every fall, I look out my kitchen window and see a beautifully blooming Lagerstroemia indica (Crape Myrtle). This tree was a gift given to my husband in memory of his mom. I look forward to those purple blooms, but more importantly, as I...