As American as firecrackers on the Fourth of July is Phlox paniculata, and a garden full of it blooming is as exciting as the soaring skyrockets the furled buds suggest—or as restful as a hammock in the shade. Its colors range from the purest white through pink and rose to intense red, from lavender and … Read more
Phlox, “flower of flame,” shows its widest array of brilliant colors in the species paniculata—the garden phlox of the summer months. An American native, growing in woods from Pennsylvania to Florida and west to Kansas, it has, in the wild, flowers of white, pinkish-lavender, and reddish-purple (often called magenta). In Country’s History Very early in … Read more
Phlox is one of our most versatile garden flowers, suitable for practically any location on the home grounds. There are the low-growing, sun-loving, trailing forms, ideal for sunny banks, rocks, and garden walls, and shade-loving types, such as the spring phlox or wild sweet william (Phlox divaricata). Because of varying heights, the early and midsummer … Read more
I have wide varieties of veronicas in my several borders, giving much of the all-summer color in my plantings. The tall blue flowered sorts double in hot, dry sections for delphiniums which are not reliably hardy here. Since my borders are extensive, I have come to use “self-supporting” plants as much as possible. Veronicas completely … Read more
The phlox family is the most interesting one. Besides phlox, it includes polemonium, gilia, and cobaea. Many of us know the native polemonium with its lovely blue flowers and compound leaves which is quite common in many of the woods from New York to Minnesota to Kansas to Alabama. We sometimes call it Jacob’s Ladder, … Read more
Phlox is one of the soundest of all garden investments for paying color dividends. They can extend, complement or dominate the July to October garden pageant. No other perennial adapts itself more amiably in gardens from coast to coast or is less demanding of attention. It is easy to understand how these qualities combined with … Read more
As plants go, phlox is a truly American plant. To begin with, all the 50+ or so accredited species hail from this continent. The lone dissenter is from Siberia. Phlox belongs in the Polemoniaccae family, which means “flame.” The flowers are generally borne in panicles, cymoses, clusters, trusses, or heads, with rounded individual blooms, sometimes garnished with … Read more
Question: Will creeping Phlox do well in a shaded location? My elm trees shade the bed where I want to plant some perennials that would do well. Can you suggest something else that would be more satisfactory? KL, Kansas. Answer: Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata) is quite versatile and will bloom under somewhat variable conditions. While it does best … Read more
Phlox can truly set your garden aflame with splendor, from early spring into late summer and until frost. The proper selection of species makes a possible succession of bloom from April to November. The Phlox flower has been long considered the backbone of the perennial border and is exclusively an American contribution to the garden. … Read more