Phlox

Elisabeth — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:55:00 GMT

I am a happy gardener today because the tall white-flowered phlox (Phlox paniculata) in my back bed is finally blooming. Many people might find this event unremarkable because they have had wonderful results with phlox year after year. Not I. Though I have had good luck with moss pinks (Phlox subulata), I have killed several perfectly good tall phlox plants over the years and had just about given up hope. Finally last year I installed yet another tall phlox, but this time in a different place. Low and behold, it didn't get mildew, it grew to be about four feet tall, and now it has produced a crop of lovely white flowers.

Phlox paniculata are old-fashioned garden favorites that are native to the eastern United States. The Native Americans used them for medicinal purposes; in more recent times they have simply gladdened the hearts of gardeners, butterflies and hummingbirds. The stems are tall and straight, and the leaves, which appear opposite each other on the stems, are long and narrow. Native phlox are likely to be purplish pink, but hybridizers have created a number of colorful varieties, with white, pink, purple, red or bi-colored blossoms.

The great enemy of garden phlox is powdery mildew, which appears as a white coating on the leaves and weakens the plants. Some varieties are more prone to mildew than others, but all can benefit from good air circulation, which deters the fungal disease. Newer phlox hybrids are more resistant to mildew than older types.

Phlox lovers who garden in containers can grow colorful modern hybrids that reach only eighteen inches in height. Fortunately short stature doesn't deter the butterflies.

Every day now I go out to gaze in awe and wonder at my healthy phlox. I may even cut some for the house. A baseball loving friend assures me that if the Red Sox can win the World Series, I can grow phlox successfully. Maybe he's right.

The Smallest Hummer

Elisabeth — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 12:39:00 GMT

Hummingbirds are like magic--so fast and fleeting, so tiny. I don't know of any old wive's tales that support the idea, but I think they bring good luck. I can't imagine not wanting them in the garden.

What attracts hummingbirds? The easy answer is nectar-rich plants, preferably with bright flowers. Taller plants and shrubs make it easier for the little birds, but they will come closer to the earth when the nectar is plentiful.

In the spring hummingbirds migrate back to cold winter climates and appreciate red or yellow columbines. Later on they are attracted to salvia, monarda, butterfly weed (Asclepias), penstemon, agastache ("hummingbird mint") and yucca. Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) is a favorite.

In the shrub department, hummers dote on butterfly bush (Buddleia). Howver, in some areas, butterfly bush is considered invasive. Check with your county extension agent fo find out if butterfly bush is a problem where you live.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is tough, beautiful and floriferous. Grow one or two as either shrubs or small trees and your local hummers may take notice.

If you really want hummingbirds (or butterflies, "regular" birds or pollinating insects), garden as organically as possible. Pesticides disrupt the food chain and discourage beneficial species. Somehow the bad bugs always find a way, no matter what you do. I can live with a few aphids, but I would hate to lose my hummers.

Growing Wise : hummingbirds

Phlox

The Smallest Hummer