I searched using Google for a thread on this and they all looked to be pretty old. So... I spent the first half of the summer on home improvements inside the house and now I'm ready for the yard. Recently I cleared out a huge area in my front yard and I plan on making a massive 'rock-bed.' Using landscaping/bull/river rock and some flat stones for a walk way. My driveway is already lined with shrubs on one side, so I cleared the ground under them in prep for placing bull rock. And cleared the grass on other side of the driveway about a foot out to do the same there. I'm going to pick up a young Crepe Myrtle on my way home and plant it in the middle of the yard. I figure that in 2-3 years it will add plenty of color to contrast the rocks. Clearing grass with nothing but a shovel and a wheelbarrow was some serious labor intensive work, but I think it’ll prove well worth it once it’s all done. Is anyone else currently taking on yard projects? I’d love to hear about what some of ya’ll have done, are doing, or have planned.
Crepe Myrtle will bloom QUICKLY. You'll have color in the yard in 2 months..not 2 years. Houston Garden Center is killing it right now. Prices 70% off. I bought 2 new crepe myrtles and a 15 foot magnolia tree for a total of $200 last weekend.
You're right, they do bloom quick... But I figured it would be a few years before it's large enough to dominate the yard. I went by Houston Garden Center during my lunch to look at thier Crepe Myrtle. $100 tree for $30. I feel my timing is perfect.
I've been working a lot on my yard since I bought my house in May 2011. The house needs updating as well, so I'm going slowly on the yard (a tree here, flowers there, etc). When I moved in, there was 1 poorly pruned crepe myrtle and a row of bushes. I'm hoping to do something like this with a bed and white stone boarder. 1 thing I might suggest, I like how crepe myrtles look when you have a couple close together. A random CM in the yard kinda looks weird until it's fully grown. Right now I have a pink one about 12ft tall, planted by the previous owner. I plan to soon plant 2 more, 1 lavender and 1 white, right around it. It's hot outside right now, so make sure you give your new plants water, daily. Most can survive summer planting as long as they're properly watered.
i got tired of mowing my entire backyard so i turned a quarter of it into a meadow. basically i just sectioned it off and stopped mowing. nothing but tall grass so far.
Oh, you're right..they'll be short for a while. Still blooming..but short. Yeah, I got the same deal on the crepe myrtles. The 15 foot magnolia was a $500 tree on sale for $150. That's nuts.
