A sure winner in the summer garden,
phlox is my go-to, especially for beginning gardeners.
The rewards of this perennial are as numerous as its blossoms.
Beautiful star-like buds.
Tall, yet sturdy.
This one is at least five and a half feet tall, yet it doesn't need staking.
A plethora of colors: pink, lavender and, my favorite, white.
Interestingly enough, I only ever planted the pink,
the others volunteered.
I still haven't figured that one out.
Long blooming.
This year the pink started at the beginning of July,
the purple and white a week or two later.
They will look good at least until mid-August.
and best of all...
the scent is wonderful, especially in the evening.
The lavender and white are a light, floral scent
while the pink is spicy, heavy on the cloves.
Is there anything at all bad about them?
Only their tendency to spread.
So far, they have overtaken two delphinium and a blueberry bush.
But when they bloom and I inhale their scent week after week,
I am quick to forgive.