Garden phlox can be one of the stars of  the summer garden.  I bought this unnamed pink phlox paniculata at the Bridge of Flowers plant sale last year and it looks great this year. There is no sign of mildew, but I can’t say whether that is because of the weather, or whether this is a mildew resistant variety.  Many gardeners avoid phlox because of the mildew which is common, but mildew does not hurt the plant, and I am skilled at ignoring things that others find more than annoying.

Late this spring I dug up some white Miss Lingaard phlox from among the weeds in the abandoned Sunken Garden and transplanted it into this bed. It doesn’t look like much this year, but I am looking forward to next spring.  Miss Lingaard is an old variety also known as Wedding Phlox because it blooms in June, earlier than most phlox. It has the benefit of being mildew resistant.

I tried to buy David, a Perennial Plant of the Year in 2002, but couldn’t find it anywhere. I guess I didn’t start early enough. This is a popular plant because of its big white flower heads – and mildew resistance.

This spring I bought Blue Paradise at the Bridge of Flowers plant sale, and I got better bloom than I expected – but next year!  The color of this phlox is gorgeous, and it is supposed to be very mildew resistant.

Phlox is a wonderful plant for the summer garden in pale and brilliant shades, with eyes of different colors, and now even dwarf varieties that are happy in a container.  It only needs sun and ordinary garden soil. If you cut it back after bloom, you might get a second flush.