Home of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox and other native plants for pollinators

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Phlox pilosa Still Perfect, Week Two



I couldn't let another week go by with out extolling the virtues of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox pilosa.... again. As you can clearly see, she is still blooming and wafting her delicious sweet perfumed scent all over the garden. You'll have to trust me, she does indeed waft her perfume around the yard and she will for the next month.

She is happy almost any place. This morning I noticed she had found her way into the front wildflower bed and was just beginning to bloom; good news indeed...that means pink for an even longer time! Okay, she's perfect but she can't plant herself... I admit, I planted her there last year! But she transplants easily!

Not that she could be out shown by any other flower...but, what do you think of this sweet Tradescantia. They like to spread, but that's not a problem in a wild garden.


Clematis 'Nellie Moser' can hold her own, too. Thank you Frances for the name!


This is my newest pink plant, Clematis montana 'Rubens'. This plant smells of Vanilla and

is another cutie pie. She called to me from a shelf of plants outside the Krogers....when did grocery stores start selling plants? C Rubens has been on my want list since I killed the last one! Beautiful plant wrong spot!



Verbena Homestead isn't pink but he looks so good with the new leaves of Euonymus americanus that I had to include him.



Since we have wandered into purple...why not hop on over to blue.


This blue is lovely... When you get up close and personal with some plants you notice they shine. Tradescantia is like that. Across the garden they look like big wavy armed green stalks; but, oh, how lovely he is when you look into his face.

May you all have splendid plants in your life.

Gail

25 comments:

  1. My goodness Gail !
    You have been posting your little heart out ! .. Love seeing the renovation of the garden paths and walls .. the plants are beautiful !
    I just bought more today as well and our whole week is supposed to have rain .. not much chance for planting until it clears up a bit more.
    I had fun with the "fairy name generator" Thanks !
    Joy : )

    ReplyDelete
  2. joy,

    I love it and it is a great distraction! With rain we are able to post and comment. We are also getting rain. This is a busy weekend, the local native plant nursery has an open house and there is a craft fair in the park, so my day starts at 7:30 when we head out with list in hand! Are you tired? I am just from making the list!

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great pictures Gail! That phlox looks fantastic, I'll have to add that to the "to get" list. Is that Growild with the open house? When is that?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dave growild http://www.growildnursery.com/openhouse.htm to see their schedule...there will be activities maybe a hayride for your toddler and music May 2 and 3. You can see native plants to your hearts content.

    gail

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gail, great macro of the spiderwort, so blue. You have me sold on the phlox pilosa, I will be looking for it at the plant sales around here. I thought Ramona was a purple/blue color. Could it be Nellie Moser? I am no expert, but the tags are often not right on the clems at big box and even some nurseries. Just a thought. We have the pink and blue spiderwort here, not planted by me. Are they natives?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Frances,

    You are so right it is Nellie Moser and I've corrected it and linked to you!

    Yes Spiderworts are natives; we see them when we walk in the parks...I like the named varieties, their color is usually much nicer and sometimes the foliage, too. Sweet Kate has beautiful golden colored stems with sweet blue flowers.

    Thanks, Francis.

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  7. What lovely flowers! I have a variation of all of those. Spiderwort is so neat. Well, my clematis is still in my other yard as is my phlox.... I love how easy it is to divide and transplant phlox, although I have the creeping type.

    ReplyDelete
  8. cinj,

    Will you move some of the plants to your new yard? Creeping phlox is pretty, is it blooming now for you?

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  9. Those are lovely blooms, Gail!

    I have some pink phlox that I started inside, they desperately need to go out now. I'm glad to hear that they transplant well.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow! You have flowers blooming that we won't have for quite awhile, yet. Beautiful photos! :-) We did discover woodland phlox Monday. (!)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love all these flowers but don't have the perfect p. pilosa-hope to remedy when I come and visit! I will send you the link to the stones soon. Long day today.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Well all of these floweres sure are as splendid as it gets!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Robin,

    I admire that you propagate plants....we don't have a space for it and with a plant eating cat around they would be toast. A green house would be nice!

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  14. shady,

    It will be very hot here when you are basking in late spring delights! So I will be at your site cooling off!

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  15. Tina,

    Absolutely, I hope the rain doesn't wipe out the bloom, maybe it will be a gentle rain! See you,

    Jean,

    Good morning, I like them, too,

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm wondering if that phlox is the one I bought last week at our local plant sale? It was just labeled "wild blue phlox" and the color was a bit darker. Anyway, I bought 2!

    The spiderwort is so pretty but boy it is a pain in the butt in my garden. It pops up all over and quickly chokes out my borders if I don't keep a watch on it.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wow, I wish we could grow Clematis montana up here. I don't know about your Phlox pilosa, but mine, which is the cultivar 'Eco Happy Traveler,' has foliage that turns burgundy in the Fall. It is such a stunning sight when it's in bloom, but it does tend to "travel" a bit. I gave away all my Tradescantia because I was tired of melted blooms by noon.
    Phillip - I think your Phlox was either Phlox divaricata or Phlox stonolifera (which has stolens).

    ReplyDelete
  18. OK, I'm convinced, that phlox is perfect. Nellie Moser is pretty but if she is in full sun her colours tend to fade and become rather wishy washy. Love that pink tradescantia!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Yolanda E,

    So I have a convert! You are much appreciated.

    Not much in my yard is full sun, the canopy trees once leafed out take care of that...so Nellie can keep her good looks. I do like the pink on the Spiderwort...I wish I could remember the variety.

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  20. phillip, mmd is correct it isn't the same phlox; wild phlox...which is a beautiful phlox is in the same family. Also, in loamy soil it would travel but not in heavy clay soil.

    I noticed this morning that there are little grass like seedlings that upon closer inspection are spiderworts!

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  21. mmd,

    It does travel in loamy soil, which I am not blessed with having! I looked at you eco traveler and it is lovely but mine is not a named variety.

    Yes in fuller sun they do look all washed out, I have a Sweet Kate that I have high hopes for. We will see.

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  22. Love those spiderworts. Those pink ones are gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  23. all your flowers look so beautiful(-: I have the Tradescantia...spider wort plant and it is just about ready to bloom. I can't wait(-: I don't have a problem with it spreading but I wish I did..I love that plant. Also I love the Montana Rubens. That plant is awesome and it does smell heavenly!!!! I had a gopher who decided to eat or dig in the area of the roots and it died. I really want to get a new one.. Thanks for sharing your pictures I enjoyed them!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Gail: another lovely post and so happy you've featured the pretty (perfect too)phlox. They are growing wildly down here along the roadways and I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing them this spring. I don't plant them because they just don't last long enough. Clematis refuse to accept our heat as well so I will enjoy yours from afar.
    I've do have (bright pink)verbena and it should be happy through the summer.
    Hope you have a great weekend.
    Meems @ Hoe&Shovel

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh you couldn't could you, not another week without the darling Phlox pilosa :-)

    Glad you put this up, I love the photos.

    ReplyDelete

"Insects are the little things that run the world." Dr. E O Wilson