Our woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) has started blooming, the lovely spiral-striped buds opening up to blue flowers with a wonderful sweet fragrance.
This low-growing native has evergreen foliage that does most of its growing in early spring. It seeds in somewhat but is not aggressive. In fact I very much appreciate the fact that it produces seedlings that I can spread around the garden. This particular phlox is a cultivar is called 'Clouds of Perfume' and it lives up to its name! I don't know if it's actually more fragrant than the typical species, but it is very fragrant. I love the grace and delicacy of the flowers.
My phlox are not blooming yet, but the ones I moved from a tub to the east side of the house are growing.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't get on blotanical a little bit ago. I wonder if it's having problems.
Nice pics!
This is such an attractive plant. I grow Phlox divaricata 'clouds of Perfume' in a shady area, and it is covered in blooms in May. I'm glad that mine is slowly spreading out. I use to have it in a heavily shaded area, where it produced leaves, but no blooms. Three years ago, I moved it to an area that gets about an hour of sun a day, and it blooms very well. This plant is a real attention grabber when in flower.
ReplyDeleteThis phlox looks gorgeous! The lavendar shade is delicious. How lovely to have such a beautiful early bloomer.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your weekend!
Katarina
Thank you for those wonderful summer bloom pictures sweetbay!
ReplyDeleteTyra
TYRA'S GARDEN
What a beautiful colour. Do you have summer already?
ReplyDeleteHi sweetbay, thank you so much for your comment on Billy. He is my third Jack and completely different from the others I had. He is very strong minded!
ReplyDeleteThe pictures of the flowers are very appealing; the tight buds and than the open flowers are very pleasing. A very beautiful blue. when I read your gardening techniques I can completely rely to them as I have the same. I would like to see more of your garden so I put a link if you agree.
these are lovely! so cool to the eyes and very romantic with its scent and graceful appearance...
ReplyDeletehave a wonderful weekend!
Mine is looking pretty good too. Can't wait until it blooms in the woodland garden-it will be the first time. Your 'clouds' are looking good.
ReplyDeleteIt will be a long time before mine blooms. This is one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteMarnie
Sweetbay,
ReplyDeleteLovely phlox, one of my favorite plants. I don't know if you have been to Bog Bloomers in Sanford, but they sell like 30-40 different phloxes along with all the other goodies.
OH, I found a photo I took a long time ago of Sweetbay in flower.
Oh, absolutely gorgeous blues! The woodland phlox is a stunner, so elegant!
ReplyDeleteSo lovely!!
ReplyDelete/Vella
This phlox is so nice, but it's new to me. I am designing a Woodland and I will for sure consider this plant. Do you think it is hardy in the south of Sweden?
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend
Helen
Thank you everyone for your comments.
ReplyDeleteLillibeth, spring is starting here. Sometimes summer is fast on the heels of spring here (temps in the high 80's and low 90's F are not uncommon), but if we're lucky we get a long spring like we had last year.
Titania Molly was very strong minded too! lol Very sweet, but she had that stubborn terrier streak in spades. Yes, please add a link if you would like.
Tina, we really did have "clouds" at the old house site. The fragrance would blow into the kitchen window -- heavenly! I'm still working on that in the gardens around the house at our new site.
Randy, I think I'm the only NC gardener I know who hasn't been to Big Bloomers. Next time we go to Southern Pines we need to stop by there.
HelenJ, Phlox divaricata is very cold hardy -- to negative 30 F, so it should be fine in southern Sweden without a doubt.
Very tempting photos, as usual. Have a nice weekend!
ReplyDeleteI too have this plant and love it.I divided it last year and moved it around but it hasn't seeded itself yet.It will be a couple of months before it blooms here though.
ReplyDeletePretty photos!
Carolyn
Hi Sweetbay, It's a beautiful little flower. I love the sweet blue color...The species phlox divaricata is blooming in my garden, too...with rue anemone and purple hyacinths. I've also May Breeze which is a light blueish colored flower. I hope the weekend is filled with gardening! gail
ReplyDeleteGail I got May Breeze in a trade and hope I didn't look it in the drought -- it looked wonderful with the blue Phlox.
ReplyDeleteReally pretty flowers and a lovely color, too.
ReplyDeleteMeems @ Hoe and Shovel
So I'm going to find some Woodland Phlox!
ReplyDeleteI've the perfect spot for it and I love it.
Thanks for introducing me to this.
Rob