Crape Myrtle Cottage Garden

Description

The Crape Myrtle Cottage Garden palette is designed to include a selection of plants that add bright colors and traditional planting character to landscapes and gardens throughout the Inland Empire. Since there are numerous crape myrtle flower colors to choose from, this palette can be adapted to many garden and patio situations.

A wide range of companion plants can be selected to grow with crape myrtles. This palette of plants has been selected to show a range of shapes, colors and textures that are possible. At the same time, emphasis is placed upon gardens and plantings where the traditional lawn is absent; understory areas are covered with organic mulch, gravel or decomposed granite in place of higher water needy lawns.

Plant List

Trees

Lagerstroemia indica + cvs

Common Name: Crape myrtle
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 6 ft. - 30 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 30 ft.

Tabebuia impetiginosa

Common Name: Pink trumpet tree
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 30 ft. - 50 ft. Width: 30 ft. - 40 ft.

Flowering Shrubs

Lavatera maritima

Common Name: Sea mallow
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 6 ft. - 10 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 12 ft.

Osmanthus fragrans

Common Name: Sweet olive
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, Partial sun
Height: 12 ft. - 15 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 10 ft.

Rhaphiolepis indica + cvs

Common Name: India hawthorn
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 6 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 8 ft.

Rosa floribunda ‘Iceberg’

Common Name: White shrub rose
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 8 ft. - 10 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 6 ft.

Perennials

Armeria maritima

Common Name: Common thrift
Plant Type: Ground cover, Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 6 in. - 8 in. Width: 10 in. - 12 in.

Dianella revoluta ‘Little Rev’

Common Name: Dwarf flax lily
Plant Type: Perennial
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 18 in. - 24 in. Width: 18 in. - 24 in.

Dianella tasmanica ‘Variegata’

Common Name: Variegated flax lily
Plant Type: Perennial
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 2 ft. Width: 2 ft.

Dietes bicolor

Common Name: Fortnight lily
Plant Type: Perennial
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 30 in. Width: 3 ft. - 6 ft.

Dietes grandiflora + cvs

Common Name: African iris
Plant Type: Perennial
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 4 ft. Width: 3 ft.

Erigeron karvinskianus

Common Name: Mexican daisy
Plant Type: Ground cover, Perennial
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, All day sun
Height: 15 in. - 20 in. Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft.

Phormium ‘Jack Sprat’

Common Name: Jack Sprat dwarf flax
Plant Type: Perennial
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 18 in. Width: 18 in.

Ground Covers and Vines

Cerastium tomentosum

Common Name: Snow-in-summer
Plant Type: Ground cover, Perennial
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 in. - 6 in. Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft.

Clytostoma callistegioides

Common Name: Violet trumpet vine
Plant Type: Vine
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 15 ft. - 25 ft. Width: 15 ft. - 25 ft.

Jasminum polyanthum

Common Name: Pink jasmine
Plant Type: Vine
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 20 ft. Width: 20 ft.

Rosa floribunda ‘Floral Carpet’

Common Name: Floral Carpet rose
Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft.

Trachelospermum jasminoides

Common Name: Star jasmine
Plant Type: Ground cover, Vine
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Moderate shade, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 18 in. - 24 in. Width: 30 ft.

Horticultural Preferences

Plants in the Crape Myrtle Cottage Garden palette prefer sunny exposures, loam soils and regular moisture throughout the year to sustain robust summertime flowering performance and overall foliage character. Many of the plants in this palette are considered among the easiest and most reliable plants to grow.

Aesthetic Character

This palette of plants provides a diverse range of colors and textures with many flowers occurring during late spring and summer. A number of popular ornamental grasses are included to provide fine texture and attractive inflorescences. Shrubs include floribunda roses, butterfly bush and sweet olive that add fragrance as well as color. Colorful perennials such as kangaroo paws, sea lavender and orange bulbine can be planted in large masses and focal areas for bold impact.

This palette is well suited to achieve cottage style and traditional garden plantings with many colorful trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses.

Moisture Needs

The Crape Myrtle Cottage Garden palette grows well in inland and valley areas throughout the Inland Empire. The chart shown below provides a baseline guide to the monthly irrigation schedule and volume of supplemental water needed to maintain healthy growth. It should be noted there are several months noted by an asterisk (*) when winter rains can provide sufficient moisture and irrigation is not needed. All plants grow best with moderate amounts of water throughout the year; the summertime schedule helps sustain the flowering of crape myrtle trees.

Irrigation Schedule and Graph

Moderate Water Use Plants

Irrigation Schedule 4

	Jan*	Feb*	Mar*	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov*	Dec*
Runs per Month	0x to 3x	0x to 3x	0x to 3x	2x to 3x	2x to 3x	3x to 4x	3x to 4x	3x to 4x	2x to 3x	2x to 3x	0x to 3x	0x to 3x
Inches per Run	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"

Inches per Month	0" to 3"	0" to 3"	0" to 3"	2" to 3"	2" to 3"	3" to 4"	3" to 4"	3" to 4"	2" to 3"	2" to 3"	0" to 3"	0" to 3"

Range of supplemental summer water: 17"-24"
Range of supplemental winter water: 0"-15"

0"-3"

2"-3"

3"-4"

2"-3"

0"-3"

Jan*

Feb*

Mar*

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov*

Dec*

For more information on how to use this Irrigation Schedule and Graph, click here.