I love Crepe Myrtle trees. We have lots growing around our neighbourhood and ever since I was a child growing up in Kenmore I have had an affection for them. I remember one late afternoon lying on the cold grass, underneath the tree we had out the front corner of our house, I used to get the flower buds and peel off the outer layers until I found some colour. I pretended that the flowers were the Gumnut babies from May Gibbs stories.
Each year my parents would give it a flat top hair cut so that it would grow long, strong branches in spring. I kind of like them when they are left to grow in their own way, year after year.
They have such delicate and lacy petals and such amazing different colours. These are just a few from down our street.
My favourite crepe myrtle is the lavender one, I find it to be a very elegant tree, both in colour and shape. Their branches are very strong and rise up to wonderful leafy heights. The bark on the branches peels off to reveal different tones underneath of green and a pale pinky-brown, even grey colours, yet is very smooth and cool to touch.
The marvelous thing about these trees is not only do they produce fantastic blossoms in mid-summer but their little rounded leaves change in the autumn to shades of yellow and orange. What a beautiful creation. I'm afraid the pic below doesn't do it justice, but it's the only big one I had.
1 comment:
How strange that you should post photos of Crepe Myrtle. Vera St had one right in front of the old toilet in the back yard. Recently I've been thinking of what to put in place of our old Apricot tree which will be dug up shortly. Having thought of crepe myrtle or Pride of India, as I remember Mum calling it, I'm suddenly noticing them everywhere in our suburb. All blooming beautifully - pinks, whites, lavendar. Sadly, John is against it and wants a lemon tree.
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