The crepe myrtle is originally from China and has been in cultivation in the United States for more than a century. This beloved tree can be seen all over Hampton Roads, lining streets in its wide range of colors and sizes. July and August mark the peak of the tree’s 100-day blooming period -- putting on a show of beautiful crepe paper-like flowers.
Enjoy the beauty of a drought-tolerant yard and gardens. by Kathy Van Mullekom, a lifelong gardener and gardening writer living in York County, Virginia
When husband Ken and I lived in the Kiln Creek area of Newport News, we had a fescue lawn that an underground irrigation system kept lush and green.
Ken loved that watering system. Many evenings, he and neighborhood men stood in the street, admiring each other’s lawn and comparing notes on who had the greenest lawn. I used to chuckle at their manly competition.
Plant more warm-season veggies now for cool-season harvests. by Kathy Van Mullekom, a lifelong gardener and gardening writer living in York County, Virginia
I grew up with a vegetable garden. Dad raised potatoes, string beans, corn, cucumbers, onions, squash and tomatoes – lots of tasty tomatoes. Mom canned beans and tomatoes and pickled cucumbers. It’s how our family of six ate healthy and fresh on the conservative income my father made at the local shipyard.
One man’s trash is another’s treasure! Recycle old tins for a small, quick project that will add some green to your space while going green in the process.
A fiery show of color! An explosion of color, this upright, annual grass features variegated stripes of white, green, burgundy and hot pink blades. Fireworks produces red-burgundy foxtail plumes from mid-summer to early fall. It is the first variegated purple fountain grass that grows as a thick clump that can reach 2-4 feet tall and 1-3 feet wide. It is a great accent plant in the landscape or in containers or group en mass for a stunning display of color.
