I’ve always got something to say about blue plants, and there’s happy satisfaction when I acquire another blue beauty for my small and growing collection. There was particular joy when I found a pot of ‘Blue Paradise’ summer phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Blue Paradise’, Zone 5) this spring, now lavishly blooming in the sunny front bed. ‘Blue Paradise’ is one of the modern phlox … [Read more...] about ‘Blue Paradise’ summer phlox
phlox
Culver’s root and turtlehead: Late summer stars
In mid-August, I visited the perennial gardens at the Stratford Festival in Ontario to see what was in bloom. Predictably, there were several large clumps of phlox, but I was surprised to find tall thick stands of culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum, 4 x 3 feet / 1.2 m x 60 cm) and turtlehead (Chelone obliqua, 3 x 2 feet / 90 x 60 cm), two old-fashioned Zone 5 plants that … [Read more...] about Culver’s root and turtlehead: Late summer stars
Dealing with mildew on phlox
I've had an early onset of mildew on summer phlox (Phlox paniculata) this year. These scented, long-blooming perennials are one of the backbones of summer gardens, providing a broad range of colours from midsummer through to first fall frost. Mildew pathogens infect the stems, flowers and foliage, growing quickly to make phlox clumps seriously unsightly. When phlox is severely … [Read more...] about Dealing with mildew on phlox
Moving and dividing perennials, again and again
This always starts so simply, and it’s going to take only 10 minutes. It begins with one key plant that just has to be moved, because it’s in entirely the wrong light or out of character with bed mates or infringing on neighbours—or worse, I’m simply bored with it. This week it was a large clump of ‘Katherine’ phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Katherine’), with lavender-blue flowers and … [Read more...] about Moving and dividing perennials, again and again
