Well, most people are familiar
with the tall garden phlox that is the glory of the summer garden, with its big
clusters of red, pink, salmon, lavender, purple or white blossoms. Although
there’re also a number of earlier and shorter varieties some less than a foot
tall, that are well worth exploring. Phlox paniculata, the standard garden
phlox, usually grows 2 ½ to 4 feet tall and looks best massed in large clumps
of one color each. Good varieties include the bright red “Starfire” pink “Dondo
Hanbury Forbes” and salmon “ Sir John Falstaff, Carolina Phlox (P. Carolina or
P. suffruticosa) slightly shorter, with looser flower clusters, and starts
blooming earlier, usually the end of June. Miss Lingard is the common white
variety, Rosalinde is pink.
Low growing phlox include the spring blooming wild
blue phlox (P. divaricate), which prefers light shade; and moss pink (P.
subulata) with pink, purple, red or white blooms. Both are excellent as edging
plants and in rock gardens. Well, to grow Phlox, then you need all phlox like
light, fertile soil with ample organic matter to retain moisture and good
drainage. Provide adequate air circulation around the plants by not crowing
them. This will help to forestall the white mildew that often disfigures the
leaves of the tall garden phlox; fungicides may also help. Divide clumps of
tall varieties every few years, replanting the side shoots. Clumps also flower
best when thinned to about five stems. Remove spent blooms to prevent plants
from going to seed (Seedlings will all be magenta). Source: Charismatic Planet
