Jo Ann, are those Perovskia or sage in your beds? They're lovely. I wish I could keep my beds as nice looking as yours are, but, well... chaos doesn't begin to describe, lol!

Hey Neal, could you send some of that steady moisture down just a little south? I lost some plants this year by having almost a month of no rain, then a full week of deluge. My pinks just told me to take a hike.

The Sage is MayNight,I also have Eveline and Salvia Caradonna and Munstead Lavander.

Nope, Sheryl, I'm hogging every drop, LOL!

Jo Ann, I think your combo of spiky purple and blue plants is wonderful! Gonna steal that idea

You rain Scrooge, you! Don't blame you.

I'm guessing that I'm seeing your lavender, Jo Ann. I haven't been able to keep lavender going past two seasons here, yet. We'll have to see what happens next try, though!

I'm trying a bed of spiky mixed blue (East Friesland savia,) dark purple (May Night salvia,) light purple (Nepeta) and white (Snow Hill salvia). Right now it's a gigantic mess, but I have high hopes for something even vaguely color- coordinated....

May Night does well for me. Its an early bloomer and goes on for many weeks.

'May Night' Salvia does great for me here too. Luv it.

It lasts and lasts. There are a few reblooms after deadheading ,even now.

Isn't gardening constant trial & error?

Boy I sure hope so.

It really is this year! Changes in the garden are everywhere. We are running about a month ahead of the usual gardening time table. I'm already cutting things back and down and pulling out some things. But, as you say, I'm seeing what can take a lickin' and keep on tickin' here. Next year I'm planting more Hardy Hibs and other flowering shrubs and trees ... and a lot more ornamental grasses. I just can't see trying to beat Mother Nature at her own game. She holds all the cards.



Crepe Myrtle is still a reliable bloomer in hot, humid weather with lack of rainfall.

That is beautiful

Thank you ... it smells wonderful to boot.

Beautiful Tee. Had to take a look at plant files. Does anyone know of a z5 hardy one?

They are a Southern "thang" and dicey when you get below zone 6 as far as I know. If you have the right micro-climate in your yard, could be??? If you can grow them, they are definitely worth a try. They bloom in harsh conditions of full Summer heat and drought ... and at a time when little else is in full bloom. Plus they smell very nice. One of my faves. That one in my the picture actually looked even better before it was tossed about by the strong winds of a thunderstorm.

According to my Southern Living Garden Book, Lagerstoemia fauriei, the Japanese Crepe Myrtle, is hardier than L. indica, the Southern Crepe Myrtle ... but I believe it only blooms white. Still might be worth checking into it.

Just snapped this hastily out the window.

Thanks for rubbing it in.

My husband bought me a dwarf crepe myrtle for my birthday last summer. I forget the name, but the tag says hardy to zone 7. He had no idea that we live in zone 6! (And don't you wonder how our marriage has worked out so well for over 30 years? I do!). Anyway, we planted it out in fall in a protected spot, and it survived winter. It's in bloom now.



Karen

Beautiful Crepe Myrtle! I gotta get some of those- I say that every year at this time when I see them in bloom.

Evan, I think Crepe Myrtle would be worth a try for you. When I was a kid I remember our winters being colder than they are now, and some neighbors had Crepe Myrtles. At that time they died back nearly to the ground each year, but they bloom on new wood, so they were lovely each year. They grew more as large shrubs than trees like you see in the south. For the last several years Crepe Myrtles I see in the area don't suffer from the die back.

A big change I'm seeing this year is due to being lucky enough to get rain. I've come to expect no rain in August at all, but this summer rainfall has been pretty regular. It's been hotter this summer too, so I'm extra thankful for the rain. Today we finally got a break from the heat and I was actually able to work in the garden most of the day, and did it ever need it!

I cant stop looking at it.

Karen, how tall does the dwarf Crepe Myrtle grow? I just discovered a mosaic virus in my big hardy Hib. No cure. It will eventually kill it. Soooo ... it's back to the drawing board because there is no sense in planting the additional Hibs like I had planned to do next Spring.

Now I'm thinking more Rose of Sharon and more Crepe Myrtles and Persicaria polymorpha. Other flowering shrubs and trees too.

This is my neighbor's yard across the street ... three of her Crepes are still blooming. The various Crepe Myrtles do have a difference in their bloom times.





I'm with Neal ... I'd definitely try them in zone 5.