Late last spring, our neighbors Caroline and John made a momentous decision: to move their charming-but-teensy home onto an empty lot, sell it, and use the proceeds to help finance a larger and more modern urban bungalow on the original property.

The only caveat? Saving three crape myrtle trees that Caroline and her children had planted almost 20 years earlier near the property's front corner. The contract stated that every attempt must be made to protect this trio of Southern beauties during what became a year-long-plus process of moving, grading, building and landscaping.

Although the garden is still a work in progress, the house is finished (and gorgeous!) and Caroline's lovely trees look better than ever.

"They did a great job of protecting them from all of the upheaval," says Caroline, her soft drawl lingering from a youth spent in the low country of South Carolina. "And they're blooming better than ever."

Large trusses of vibrant clear pink blossoms blanket every branch on Caroline's 10-foot trees. Although she's not positive about the cultivar, the trees bear more than a passing resemblance to 'Osage,' with its mottled chestnut-brown bark and relatively short stature (10 to 15 feet at maturity).

Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) are gaining in popularity here in Western Oregon. The species is known for its easy-care personality, gorgeous flowers from mid-July into fall (depending on the cultivar), beautiful bark and resistance to both pests and disease.

And, as an added bonus, most have foliage that turns brilliant colors in the fall. Interested in learning more? With a tip of the hat to Steve Bender, author of "The Grumpy Gardener" blog (http://grumpygardener.southernliving.com), and the U.S. National Arboretum, here are a few high points:

* Crape myrtles love heat and sunshine! This is definitely a selling point for our part of Oregon, where summers tend to be both hot and bright. Although the humidity is much lower here than in southern states, where these trees are most popular, it also means there's less chance of mildew - a big problem in the more humid South.

This species also prefers a relatively mild winter climate, doing best in zones 7, 8 and 9. Much of Western Oregon sits between 7 and 8, making this tree a good fit in that regard.

* Choose your crape myrtle while it's flowering. Since many are in bloom right now, this is a great time to visit some of your favorite nurseries and check out the selection. Potted specimens can be brought home and enjoyed on a terrace or patio until the weather cools enough for optimal transplanting in the fall.

* Do I need to remove flowers after they've finished blooming? Nope. But that said, you can often encourage a second flush of bloom by pruning away the round green seed pods that form just after the first flowers fade. Otherwise, wait to prune (lightly, please - crape myrtles don't need a heavy hand!) 'til late winter, as this species blooms on new wood.

* Although crape myrtles love heat, they are NOT completely drought tolerant. Make sure your tree gets sufficient irrigation during our dry Oregon summers. Insufficient moisture can keep crape myrtles from blooming.

* My neighbor's crape myrtle is getting really tall. Are there shorter varieties? You bet. The U.S. National Arboretum in Washington D.C., has introduced 29 amazing crape myrtle cultivars, several of them under 20 feet tall. These include:

* "Acoma": More than feet tall; white blooms; light gray bark; red/purple fall color; spreading, semi-pendulous shrub.

* "Apalachee": 15 to 18 feet tall; lavender blooms; cinnamon to chestnut brown bark; orange/russet fall color; small, upright tree.

* 'Osage': 12-15 feet tall; clear pink blooms; mottled chestnut brown bark; red fall foliage; large shrub to small tree.

* 'Tuscarora': to 20 feet tall; dark coral-pink blooms; mottled light gray and tan foliage; red to orange fall foliage; small, vase-shaped tree.