Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle

In honor of Earth Day this year, I wanted to plant a tree in my yard. On Tuesday, April 23, 2019, I planted two crape myrtles. I didn't know exactly what variety of crape myrtle I would find, but knew it was a crape myrtle I wanted to plant. I first stopped by Home Depot and found several crape myrtles, but they were literally huge! Probably 8ft. or more in height and the size of the pot was too much for me to handle. I then drove to Lowes and was pleasantly surprised to find a lot more trees from which to select. I pulled out 3 different crape myrtles and found 2 which looked similar in size and shape ... ah, Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle!!

Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle - Southern Living Plant Collection

Checking the label, I was confident in my purchase that I would be happy with this type of crape myrtle. The flowering blooms were an interesting pinkish-purple which would be perfect to blend with my other flowering plants. Needing full sun, I knew that would also be perfect for the placement in my open back yard. I probably could have taken 3 of these, but I thought 2 will create more of a focus.

Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle - Southern Living Plant Collection

Reading the back of the label, it says this is a new crape myrtle that was "selected for elite purple flower color and an upright tight growth habit." As I have purple Mexican Petunias across the front of my front yard garden, another purple color in the back yard will bring it all together on flower color design!

Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle - Southern Living Plant Collection

The first Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle went into the ground on the northwest side of my back yard. I brought it in almost 5 feet from a line to the northwest edge of my house. I also placed it abut 5 feet back from the edging. I've not yet added mulch to the top, but may do that soon.

Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle - Southern Living Plant Collection

The second Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle went into the ground on the northeast side of my back yard. I brought it in almost 5 feet from a line to the northeast edge of my house. I also placed it abut 5 feet back from the edging. I had debated whether I wanted to place a crape myrtle more to the northeast edge of my back yard, lined up with my shed, but thought better not to since that area's grass has been dying out from the extra drainage of two other neighbors' yards into mine. I did move the circular portion of grass I dug up for the first crape myrtle to that dead area thinking maybe it will root there.

Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle - Southern Living Plant Collection

I was curious to know more about the history of Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle. Googling, I quickly found an interesting research reference by the American Society for Horticultural Science, authored by Cecil T. Pounders and Hamidou F. Sakhanokho. Miss Sandra was created along with Miss Gail and Miss Frances and released in 2015. If I can find the other two new varieties, I might plant them in my backyard along with Miss Sandra.

A friend of mine on the west coast mentioned how impressive the Southern Living Plant Collection is for their plants and trees. I don't know that I've ever planted one of their collection, but am highly expectant of having two beautifully colored crape myrtles prospering in my back yard! Stay tuned!

37 DAY FOLLOW UP

It has been extremely hot and dry here in Leesburg, Florida for over a week. My grass in the back yard has pretty much dried up and gone crisp. I'm watering the two Miss Sandra Crape Myrtles daily and sometimes a second time in the evening. It was around 9am today, May 30, 2019, when I had pulled my hose from the front to the back yard to water the crape myrtles and my other back yard flowering plants. That's when I noticed some flowers at the top of the crape myrtle in the West side of the back yard.

Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle Fuchsia Blossom

I sent my sister in Ohio the three photos of the Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle blossom to get her input on the color. She remarked back that she'd call the little flowers in the blossom an intense deep fuchsia pink. I would agreed with that. I then asked her what color would she say the berries are. We agreed on a merlot wine color.

Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle Fuchsia Blossom

I believe the berries must have emerged the day before and overnight the flowers emerged. As I had been watering these crape myrtles daily, I can't see how I would have missed the pretty flowers. That's why I was so surprised this morning to see them.

Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle Fuchsia Blossom

I am pleasantly surprised to see blossoms so soon after planting the crape myrtles. I did use a good bit of Miracle-Gro potting mix and one application of the blue crystals of Miracle-Gro plant food. To see flowers in maybe 5 weeks time is pretty amazing. I've looked over the second crape myrtle, but do not see any indication of berries yet.

THREE MONTHS IN THE GROUND

The two Miss Sandra Crape Myrtles have been doing pretty well in the ground over the past 3 months. We had a spell of drought that really crisped up the grass in the back yard. Luckily, the crape myrtles survived that drought and have been enjoying lots of rain over the past few weeks.

Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle with Fuchsia Blossoms at 3 months

About two weeks ago, I did a Miracle-Gro feeding of the two. I believe that has helped to encourage more of the fuchsia blossoms.

Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle with Fuchsia Blossoms at 3 months

The two Miss Sandra Crape Myrtles are still such petite-like trees. With all the pretty fuchsia blossoms, the trees are about as pretty as they can get! I'm hoping the stems and limbs "thicken" up to become more sturdy. I don't want hurricane-force winds to snap those petite stems!

BEAUTIFUL FUCHSIA BLOSSOMS

As I walked my front yard and back yard gardens this morning, July 27, 2019, I was so impressed with the beautiful fuchsia-colored blossoms. I know Miss Sandra Crape Myrtles were bred for their elite purple color, but I don't think this is a purple color per se. It's more hot pink or fuchsia and possibly with a little raspberry thrown in for good measure.

Miss Sandra Crape Myrtle - Fuchsia Blossoms

Check out those pretty blossoms at 3 months in the ground!! I think that photo is suitable for a product label or seed packet. So pretty!

Mexican Petunia Garden : Purple Showers 2013

I first became interested in Mexican Petunias aka Purple Showers back in the Summer of 2011. That's when I was introduced to this fabulous purple perennial when I saw a little inspiration across the street, decorating their mailbox. See that inspirational flower photo at the end of this blog post! And, you can also see that bit of inspiration, although not so inspirational today, in my second photo below. Look closely.

It has the scientific name of Ruellia brittoniana and is known as Britton's wild petunia. I personally like the additional name of Mexican Bluebell although it should be Purplebell, you know?

To refresh your memory on my front garden, on October 8, 2012, I wrote a detailed blog post showing you how to plant a Mexican Petunia Flower Garden like mine. That particular front garden was inspired by my first Mexican Petunia Flower Garden, in my side yard.

Mexican Petunia Garden : Front Yard 2013
Photo taken on May 19, 2013 by JaguarJulie Ann Brady

 

Mexican Petunia Garden : Another View 2013
Photo taken on May 19, 2013 by JaguarJulie Ann Brady

Comparing these photos to the previous 2012 photos, you can see considerable growth on the Mexican Petunias. I wasn't sure that these plants were going to make it through the last frost we had. Up to that point, they had weathered our cool weather fairly well. However, we got hit with an unexpected frost after some very warm weather.

After the last frost, I pruned down the Mexican Petunia plants to a tiny round mass. It didn't look good! The leaves had virtually all fallen off and the rest of the plants were a deep maroon-like color. I made sure I gave them water even though they are typically drought-resistant plants.

A Closeup of Five Pretty Mexican Petunia Blossoms in a Row
Photo taken by JaguarJulie Ann Brady

I tried some special fertilizer on these plants which might have made the difference in how well they are doing today. In the Burpee Eco-friendly Seed Starting 25 Pellet Greenhouse Kit that I was using to grow Sunflower seedlings, there was a 1 oz. package of Espoma organic fertilizer. I opted to sprinkle that fertilizer on the Mexican Petunias.

Take a look at this photo comparison that I've prepared of the garden in 2012 vs the garden today.

Mexican Petunia Garden - October 2012 vs May 2013
Photo comparison prepared on May 19, 2013 by JaguarJulie Ann Brady

Once the frost-damaged plants were trimmed back, they pretty much were the size of those plants in October 2012 as shown in the left photo. With a sprinkling of the 1 oz. package of Espoma Plant-Tone Organic Plant Food, the Mexican Petunias today are easily three times the size! And, we are not even into Summer. It was my intention to encourage the petunias to fill the bricked-in area. With a little more growth, I believe they'll be there.

If you look closely at the garden photos, you might be able to tell that there is a different plant in the middle of that flower garden. It's the Peter Pan Agapanthus which I transplanted from my back yard. More on that a little later. Also, you can see a blue ceramic flower pot in the corner of the garden. Those are pale pink pentas.

I'll be giving you an update on the other Mexican Petunia garden that is in my side yard! Thanks for taking the time to enjoy the purple showers! May your days be sunny and may showers come your way only when needed.

Mexican Petunia Garden aka Purple Showers Take Two

In my September 23, 2012 blog post, Mexican Petunia Garden aka Purple Showers, I shared the view of my first Mexican Petunia Garden in my side yard. "Ah, a garden of Mexican Petunias aka Purple Showers. This fabulous purple perennial is also scientifically known as Ruellia brittoniana and as Britton's wild petunia and the Mexican Bluebell."

After completing all the digging up of the grass and weeds and then planting the garden, I had NO idea that I would WANT to do another such garden project like that this year.

Step 1: Selecting the initial section of yard!

However, as time went on ... a week or so ... I consulted with my neighbor on the other side and shared my vision. Down the middle of the side yard, I placed some plastic edging to show her where I would be digging.

A picture is worth a thousand words they say. I started to dig and finished off a square-like portion in one day. That evening, after my neighbor got home, she saw the dig area as you see in Step 1.

Step 2: Starting the first portion of the
Mexican Petunia Garden!

After resting a few hours from the digging, I opted to head out to Home Depot to get 2 Mexican Petunias, 20 Holland red/gray brick pavers, and 2 bags of Scott's red mulch.

In Step 2, you can see the beginning of the vision for my Mexican Petunia Garden! My second one. I didn't want to do the same type of treatment as I did in my other side yard, but I wanted it to be complimentary.

After putting down the 20 brick pavers, I realized it would take about 40 to edge in the garden area.

Step 3: Finishing the digging area for the
Mexican Petunia Garden!

There was a bit of consultation with my two female neighbors to pin down how far I would go with the dig. And, the addition of the 12-inch red brick patio stones, next to the driveway, was a good idea. The patio stones provide a stepping area and help to firm-in the brick pavers.

The extra area took two separate days to completely dig and clean. I was dealing with a lot of rooty weeds! Timing was important so that the yard guys picked up the bags of yard waste from the digs.

Step 4: Completion of the two areas for the
Mexican Petunia Garden!

In Step 4, you can see the completed Mexican Petunia Garden! What a lot of work. You should have seen all the dirt under my nails. The biggest challenge was making so many trips to Home Depot and Lowe's to carry all the garden supplies in the front seat of my sports car!

At one time, I could carry 2 Mexican Petunias that I would lie down on top of 2 bags of mulch. On the floor, I stacked 20 Holland red/gray brick pavers with a bag of dirt on top. I even had a Lowe's guy say, "I don't know how you are going to do that."

Other trips, I could manage 10-14 of the 12-inch red patio stones. I've yet to tally up the cost of the project along with total woman-hours expended! By the way, in the middle of the two garden sections, I added, on Saturday, the Peter Pan Agapanthus which I had in my back yard.

Another view of the Mexican Petunia Garden!

This is a view of the Mexican Petunia Garden looking towards the street. You can see I added more stones and bricks for access to the side and back yards.

I found that when I finished the job, that the red mulch from Lowe's did not match the Home Depot mulch. You can see in Step 1 the Home Depot mulch. This past Saturday, I raked up that mulch and put it around the Drake Elm in my front yard. Now all the mulch matches!

After I finished this "take two" garden, I found I attracted a mole or two ... so I might be writing about how to capture a mole. Or how to send a mole or two packing!

INSPIRATION! Yes, it is important to have inspiration; to be inspired! And, it is just as important to credit that inspiration ... like proper attribution! You see, since I moved into my house, I have been rather fascinated by the Mexican Petunias that I saw across the street. Living in Jacksonville, Florida, Mexican Petunias thrive! Take a look! Tell me, is that not an inspiring view?

My Inspiration: Mexican Petunia Mailbox

Are you inspired? Have you ever planted Mexican Petunias? Do you have a love for Mexican Petunias? What do you think about my two gardens?

Mexican Petunia Garden aka Purple Showers

Ah, a garden of Mexican Petunias aka Purple Showers. This fabulous purple perennial is also scientifically known as Ruellia brittoniana and as Britton's wild petunia and the Mexican Bluebell.

If you Google "Mexican Petunia," you will find a number of reviews which might warn you about how this pretty purple petunia can become quite invasive and take over your garden! Well, that is partly the reason I selected this perennial for my garden. I am encouraging it to be as invasive as it can in the space that I have provided.

Mexican Petunia Garden of JaguarJulie
4 Mexican Petunias planted 3' apart

On my side yard, I had problems with my grass that was killed by the neighbor's vegetable garden. You see that fence? The neighbor's garden is to the right. I watched as more of my grass died this year from the chemicals passing under the fence. What to do? Replace the grass or something else?

Well, I did take time to lay new sod at the front edge of my side yard [you can see a bit of it at the bottom of my picture]. I did not want to lay sod on the side yard only to have it killed again. I opted for a relatively hardy perennial like the Mexican Petunia. In the picture of my side yard garden, you can see that I have planted 4 Mexican Petunia that are spaced a little more than 3 feet apart.

Mexican Petunia Garden of JaguarJulie
6 Mexican Petunias planted 3' apart
Notice the "purple showers" on the red mulch
Photo taken ~4pm on September 23, 2012

I subsequently dug up another large patch of dead grass [at the top of the picture] and extended the garden back with another 2 Mexican Petunias. The red and gray brick pavers that I used to edge the garden are the same kind that I used for my patio paver project at the back of my house. I think the red mulch complements the pavers and the purple flowers quite nicely!

Planting Instructions for Mexican Petunia:

• Dig your hole twice as wide and as deep as the pot.
• Mix one part planting soil with the native soil of your garden.
• Loosen the plant's root base and place into the ground.
• Cover loosely.
• Use all-purpose, balance plant food to feed your plants.

Features of the Mexican Petunia:

• Summer-Fall bloomer
• Hardiness: 20 degrees Fahrenheit
• Mature Size: 36-48 inches tall by 24-36 inches wide
• Space: 24-36 inches
• Habit: Upright
• Fertilize: Once per month
• Feature: Drought tolerant
• Care: Keep weed-free
• Water: Weekly during dry spells

I purchased my 6 Mexican Petunias from my local Home Depot for $9.98 each. Home Depot offers plant tips at homedepotgardenclub.com using plant code THDB2971.

Have you tried Mexican Petunias? It is quite an impressive ornamental plant. I was told, by the plant vendor at Home Depot, that each day, in the mid-afternoon, the Mexican Petunia will shed it purple flowers like showers. And, the next day, the purple flowers will bloom again. Ah, purple showers!