Garden Phlox

9 years ago

I hardly ever post anything but would love some opinions. What are your best performing and best looking tall garden phlox?? I have 'David' which I love but would also love some bright colors to add to the back or middle of a border. Just today I purchased 'Wendy House' so Wendy and David are the extent of my 'collection'. Any suggestions on what you like/love are welcome.

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Comments (6)

Tim
9 years ago
Have you tried the First Addition series? First Editions Bubble Gum Pink Garden Phlox is very bright but not quite as tall as David. David is the tallest I know of. You may try it in the back of the border and put Bubble Gum in front. The other two First editions that I know of are Cotton Candy and Grape Lollipop. Grape Lollipop is a very dark and vivid purple. All of these First Edition plants are supposed to be the most mildew resistant garden phlox to date. I know that Sooner Plant Farm sells them, but they are pretty pricy on their S&H.
sunnyborders
9 years ago
We have several dozen different garden phlox, mostly named cultivars.

Of our few named taller older ones, 'Shortwood' (pink) is excellent. It's the best all-round phlox in the Chicago Botanic Garden comparative study of Phlox paniculata cultivars (pre-1980/1990s garden phlox). "Shortwood' was actually a chance seedling of 'David', which itself is an excellent phlox.

From my current experience, I'd particularly recommend 'DÃÂ¼sterlohe' (Nicky) (purple; at least to me), 'Bright Eyes' (light pink, red eye), 'Starfire' (red), 'Pina Colada' (white), 'Tequila Sunrise' (salmon orange) and 'Watermelon Punch' (pink orange).

Also: 'Peppermint Twist' (pink and white pinwheel). Find it quite vigorous and also love the stem reversions (we see) back to it's parent 'Candy Floss'. I've read the latter's flower colour described as magenta or as a pink. I'd call it cherry pink.

Also: 'Norah Leigh'. The flower may not be much, but the plant's so hardy; a fabulous variegated garden phlox which is around in fall (at least here) long after the other phlox have been cut down.

I also like a number of the garden phlox with which I only have a couple of year experience. Currently, I'm thinking that 'Cosmopolitan' (hot pink) really stands out. 'Purple Kiss', 'Wendy House', the Flame series, etc. also look good.

Picture (Aug. 15, 2013):
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I tried posting a reply several times with embedded images, but it keeps failing. Let me try sharing a little photo tour of my phlox with you this way (hope it works!) Meanwhile, THANK YOU for all of these great ideas! I am now really excited to browse Japanese sickles and/or hedge trimmers. I had considered using my string trimmer, but honestly I doubted its ability to stand up to the tough phlox stems. I also love the tarp idea and will definitely try that too. Another idea I had involves our mulching mower. Last year I ran over some of the beds in late November and was able to get it pretty well cleaned up. So if I sickle/trim the tops and let them fall, maybe they can just get mowed up later this year and compost in place?
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david883
9 years ago
I have Blue Paradise and I love it. It was floppy last year but pinching it back this year helped. The blooms are a purple-blue that actually sort of fade to lilac throughout the day (going back to blue-purple at night). I love them! I'm interested in getting shockwave next.... now.... just where to put it!
sunnyborders
9 years ago
Common terms for Phlox paniculata include summer phlox, garden phlox and tall phlox.

One major recent and current trend in summer phlox breeding has been/is selection for shorter cultivars; namely, "tall phlox" have become, are becoming, shorter.

Personally, I don't see how summer phlox can be used to full effect in mixed perennial beds by just including the recent and current shorter "tall phlox".

For instance, the Flame series phlox are almost all in the height range of 12 to 18 inches. The The Jan Verschoor phlox (including members of the Cocktail series) I mentioned above are almost all 18 to 24 inches tall. The First Edition Collection (series), mentioned above, are all 18 to 22 inches tall.

To me, using numbers of only these shorter "tall phlox" sounds like bedding annuals. Garden phlox can make an enormous contribution to mixed perennial beds in summer. A mixed perennial bed, when it reaches summer, needs "tall phlox" of varying heights. In addition, many other perennials, in summer, have reached a height which restricts the use of shorter "tall phlox" to the front of mixed perennial beds.
Marie Tulin
9 years ago
You can read the Chicago Botanic Garden's results of its phlox field trials on line. Someone may have the link handy or try something like c...b...g...phlox trials
It won't have the latest releases but it addresses the all important issue of mildew resistence.
Personally, I don't see the charm of the new shorter phlox.
But I think I am peculiar; I am the only one I know of who doesn't like phlox David. I think it is a big clumpy white blob. All muscle, no charm.
"Bright Eyes" is an excellent phlox. No mildew, long lived, cheerful. Miss Lingard . Franz Shubert .
idabean/Marie
barbarag_happy
6 years ago
Hope some southern gardeners will chime in with reviews of Blue Paradise and Grape Lollipop. No longer new but still commanding some fancy prices.

We are expanding an antique rose garden with tall, tall tea roses (6 feet and up) and tall phlox are an ideal companion.

We will of course use David as it is healthy and long-blooming. We don't spray the roses so we DEFINITELY don't want to plant a phlox which needs to be sprayed to avoid mildew.