Gardening Flowers Perennials Phlox This perennial can be great for a front yard border. By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on August 16, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Phlox Overview Description Phlox are one of those bounteous summer flowers any large sunny flowerbed or border shouldn't be without. There are several different kinds of phlox. Garden and meadow phlox produce large panicles of fragrant flowers in a wide assortment of colors. They also add height, heft, and charm to a border. Low-growing wild Sweet William, moss pinks, and creeping phlox are effective as ground covers. Plant these phlox varieties at the front of the border, and as rock and wild garden plants, especially in light shade. These native gems have been hybridized extensively especially to toughen the foliage against mildew problems; many recent selections are mildew-resistant. To grow and care for phlox, they need amply moist soil for best overall health. Genus Name Phlox Common Name Phlox Plant Type Perennial Light Part Sun, Sun Height 6 to 12 inches Width 6 to 36 inches Flower Color Orange, Red Foliage Color Chartreuse/Gold Season Features Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom Special Features Attracts Birds, Cut Flowers, Fragrance, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Propagation Division, Seed, Stem Cuttings Problem Solvers Drought Tolerant More Varieties for Phlox Blue Paradise phlox Marty Baldwin (Phlox paniculata 'Blue Paradise') offers purple-blue flowers that appear to change color throughout the day. It grows 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Zones 4-8 Creeping phlox Peter Krumhardt (Phlox subulata) is a low mounding plant smothered with bright flowers in spring. Its slender 1/2-inch leaves are evergreen, stiff and prickly. It seldom tops 6 inches tall. Zones 3-8 David phlox Mark Kane (Phlox paniculata 'David') is a disease resistant selection with fragrant, pure-white flowers that grows 4 feet tall. Zones 4-8 Franz Schubert phlox Kim Cornelison (Phlox paniculata 'Franz Schubert') bears big flowerheads of lilac-pink blooms in summer and early fall. It grows 3 feet tall. Zones 4-8 Laura phlox Tom McWilliam (Phlox paniculata 'Laura') grows about 3 feet tall with mildew-resistant leaves and large dense panicles of fragrant purple flowers accented with a white eye. It is very long blooming from mid-summer to fall when it attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Zones 4-8 Miss Lingard meadow phlox Marty Baldwin (Phlox maculata 'Miss Lingard') bears strongly fragrant pure-white flowers in early summer. It grows 3 feet tall and 18 inches wide. Zones 5-8 Natural Feelings phlox Marty Baldwin (Phlox paniculata 'Natural Feelings') displays unique, thready lavender-pink flowers from midsummer to fall. It grows 28 inches tall and 20 inches wide. Zones 4-8 Orange Perfection phlox Marty Baldwin (Phlox paniculata 'Orange Perfection') shows off coral-pink flowers from summer to fall. It grows 32 inches tall and 14 inches wide. Zones 4-8 Peppermint Twist phlox Marty Baldwin (Phlox paniculata 'Peppermint Twist') is a groundbreaking selection with pink flowers striped with white. It grows 16 inches tall and 14 inches wide. Zones 4-8 Sherbet Cocktail phlox Marty Baldwin (Phlox paniculata 'Sherbet Cocktail') offers unique purple flowers tipped in chartreuse. It offers good disease resistance and flowers from midsummer to fall. It grows 28 inches tall and 20 inches wide. Zones 4-8 Volcano Purple phlox Marty Baldwin (Phlox paniculata 'Volcano Purple') is a compact, disease-resistant selection with rich purple flowers. It grows 26 inches tall and 24 inches wide. Woodland phlox Peter Krumhardt (Phlox divaricata) is a shade-loving wildflower with fragrant, lavender-purple flowers in spring. It grows 1 foot tall. Zones 4-8 Phlox Companion Plants Candytuft Denny Schrock Sparkling white candytuft, with its cool evergreen foliage, brightens any rock garden or wall for several weeks in spring. At bloom time, plants are covered with umbels of pure white flowers that fade to pink. Compact selections are now available. Where happy, this plant will spread. Supply good drainage, and cut back spent flowers to keep plants neat. Baby's Breath With its loose, billowy panicles of tiny single or double pink or white flowers, baby's breath provides a lightness and airiness to flower gardens. The creeping forms drape beautifully over rock walls. After bloom time, shear the plants to deadhead and for neatness. Plants prefer sweet (alkaline) soils with full sun and excellent drainage. Shasta Daisy Peter Krumhardt Easy, always fresh, and always eye-catching, Shasta daisy is a longtime favorite. All cultivars produce white daisy flowers in various degrees of doubleness and size. The sturdy stems and long vase life make the flowers unbeatable for cutting. Shasta daisy thrives in well-drained, not overly rich soil. Taller sorts may need staking. Blazing Star Marty Baldwin Valued for its unusual flower shape, blazing star sends up erect spires of usually magenta, sometimes white flowers. Emerging from grasslike foliage, the blooms make a dramatic statement in flower gardens with other perennials, annuals, or even shrubs. Well-drained but moisture-retentive soil is a must for this prairie native. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit