Phlox Pilosa the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox has been in bloom since April 6!
She's had wear and tear from the relentless spring rains, but still she bloomed.
In fact, she blooms her little heart out~~and while she's blooming she perfumes the garden with a sweet phlox scent. Sometimes, when I am weeding I just reach down and cup a flowering stem to get a better sniff.
I love her so much that she's been planted in all corners of the garden~~
She's planted in full sun, semi-shade, semi-sun, deep shade and if there is any other aspect I've forgotten...she would bloom there. She's even happy growing in a crack on the steps!
I don't mind that she travels around the garden making friends with all the other blooming plants...I can easily dig her up, wrap her carefully in wet newspaper, then plastic wrap so she can survive the trip, put her in a cardboard box and mail her to you. I love to imagine you weeding your garden, when you catch something sweet on the breeze. You'll wonder, "Could that be Practically Perfect Pink Phlox?" Before you know it, you'll find yourself leaning over to her pretty pink flower face to take a deeper breath! Trust me, you will! Thank you Katarina ( Roses and Stuff) for hosting Bloom Day! Please pop over there to join her nad other Blooming Friday posts.
I am so glad you stopped by today, so I can wish you a wonderful weekend, filled with sweet fragrances in your garden. Gail
“There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.” Elizabeth Lawrence
You do love your Phlox Don't you? :-) I don't blame you, its a constant bloomer and just the prettiest shade of pink I think I've ever seen. Purple Phlox grows wild here. --Randy
ReplyDeleteGood Morning there Gail girl !
ReplyDeleteI am still a "Phlox Virgin" .. but if I were to test the waters you have already convinced me Perfectly Pink would have to be THE ONE for me ? LOL
It has been very busy over here .. husband and I are pooped but with such wonderful weather driving us on .. well, it will be a garden day for me .. I'll be thinking of you as I putter : )
I need to get some of this PPP started in my garden. I feel like I am lacking not having some of this gorgeous phlox in the garden.
ReplyDeleteIt looks pretty awesome. Thanks so much for my start. It is very happy here and I look forward to it moving around too.
ReplyDeleteJamie, I do like it a bit...It is a traveler! I love the native wild P divaricata that dots the roadsides in spring...we used to have more of it in Nashville, but I haven't noticed it lately in the parks! I can easily send you PPPP! gail
ReplyDeleteGail, yes, PPPP traveled well, thanks again! I did end up cutting off her already bloomed flowers, but two remain! I can't tell their scent, but I'm sure I will next year! And I don't mind plants traveling around the garden; heck they know where they want to go better than I do!!
ReplyDeleteJoy, Do you know anybody that lives just across the border that I can sends PPPP to, who can then take it to you! We have to get it to you! gail
ReplyDeleteMonica, I am glad she arrived in good health! Did you find a small slip of Penstemon X and Iris cristata? I hoped I sent them, too! Have a great weekend! gail
ReplyDeleteTina, She will travel, especially if you let her flowers go to seed...How was the PPS meeting? gail
ReplyDeleteLisa, Send me your address and we can fix that for you! gail
ReplyDeleteI wish I could smell her this morning, Gail. She's so pretty and delicate, like so many of the beautiful things in your garden. Sounds like PPP is the perfect plant. I've got 1 little phlox - candy-strip color, but that's the only one I have. I had a Drummond last year, but someone pulled it out of the ground right after I planted it : (
ReplyDeleteDo you think she can travel to North Florida?
ReplyDeleteGail, I can see how she blooms all around other plants without a problem. Her foliage is whispy and bends and twists but doesn't smother the plants around it. A little like phlox divaricata but with a much longer bloom period.
ReplyDeleteMarnie
Your PPPP really is perfect. :) My daughter's driveway at her new home is lined on one side with phlox -- I know some of it is white as I photographed it still in bloom the end of August last year, but I must ask if any of it it purple or pink. :)
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great when a pretty, and well-loved plant is so accommodating? It looks good with your other plants too.
ReplyDeleteDarla, We can certainly try! Send me your info! Gail
ReplyDeleteOkay, I finally sat down from doing the happy dance!! Sent you an email....lallaalalaaalaa.
ReplyDeleteYour stylish cover girl is really strutting her pink beauty!
ReplyDeleteWe've been gardening hard all week. Had to take poor Charm to the vet this morning.
New neighbor. New german shepherd with neighbor. Walking their dog without a leash. Dog has been obedience trained and was acting nice. They came into our meadow to chat with us. German shepherd, without warning (no growl), from a "stay" position launched onto Charm and gave her a bad bruising, whacking with punctures. I am now afraid of that dog. Afraid for the little kids and older ladies in the neighborhood. That dog went to K-9 school where they train police unit, drug-sniffing dogs and guard dogs. I don't think we know the entire story on that dog. Neighbor should have had dog on leash, not just voice commands, and given us some warning. We were not on our guard/toes at all since new neighbor gave us no reason to worry.
Back to gardening --
Cameron
I'll have to look into Phlox pilosa. She sounds just the agreeable kind of gal it would be great to spend garden time with.
ReplyDeleteIn all your conditions, you don't mention dry sandy shade. What do you think? Do I have a hope?
Beautiful colour on that Phlox. I can surely understand why you appriciate it som much.
ReplyDeleteHelen, Dry shandy shade! Not in our part of the garden! But why not! Let me know! gail
ReplyDeleteHi Gail, thanks for being there for me. I do plan to come home with PPPP, you should trade mark that! HA We will always think of Phlox pilosa as Gail's PPPP. And to think, before last year, I had never even heard of this plant. :-)
ReplyDeleteFrances
Gail, dry "shandy" shade sound a lot more fun than sandy shade. Hic.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to planting, I always give it a try here. Some times it even works.
Dear Gail.....she is so pretty....and I love the way you speak so affectionately about her......and by the comments that have been left, you have made everyone else love her.....
ReplyDeleteMy mystery plant has a delicious scent.....the leaves are not opposite each other but dotted here and there along the stem. The leaves are a bluish green which is actually very attractive. I am now sure it is a phlox....I have just got to find out which one.
I have been to a nursery (family run) and they are going to see if they can get PPPP for me. I am excited......and I love my mystery plant to......
Have a great weekend....and enjoy your lovely PPPP
Practically Perfect - I think you are quite right! She's adorable!
ReplyDeleteI know how much you love this phlox Gail and I can't blame you. She's been blooming non-stop for almost two months already and it's only the end of May! What's not to love about that? You've certainly found the perfect flower for C&L (along with the "susans"). Have a great holiday weekend.
ReplyDeleteLove Phlox but always remember how the leaves can get that white mildew stuff on them. I think the ones you grow are different. Maybe I should try them. I have sun bed now. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, also found one stem (with good roots) of Penstemon X and Iris cristata. You can see them here, if you'd like, waiting with some friends to be planted.
ReplyDeleteShe definitely deserves all the fanfare for being so well...practically perfect! :) Happy Gardening Gail & have a nice weekend!
ReplyDeleteAll the delicious fragrances in the garden this time of year make me feel intoxicated. Nice of you to share your Perfect Pink Phlox with us. Mine won't bloom until late July....Phlox paniculata 'Red Riding Hood'....but the flowers look hot pink and not red.
ReplyDeleteOh, it's difficult not to fall for this lovely one. PPPP is just the perfect one and I'm yearning for it here in Plantville. Great blooms!
ReplyDeleteEnough already! You've sold me on PPPP a looooooooooooong time ago. What a little star she is and a bit of a trooper too. I love plants like PPPP, especially when they are scented like she is.
ReplyDeleteBTW what are you doing behind your PC, go smell your PPPP. ;-)
YE, Ha! Exactly! It is hard to be inside with gardening going on! Glad you popped over to visit~~love your post on design! gail
ReplyDeleteGail, I think it's wonderful that PPPP has achieved international blogging fame:) Just the other day, Cheryl posted a photo and wondered if it might be PPPP. One of these days Miss P might have progeny all over Blogdom:) But with all the virtues she has, she well deserves this fame; I don't think she has let it go to her head.
ReplyDeleteGail,
ReplyDeleteWill PPPP grow in hot, dry Austin Texas? If you come visit, bring some with you! I can just see you tucking PPPP into your suitcase!
Love you, Lynn
Gail, I'm so glad you joined Blooming Friday this week! PPPP is still blooming here too! She is indeed wonderful.
ReplyDeletePenstemon X is in bloom too and does look suspciously like Small's Beardtongue -- I will have to photograph them together. Hopefully my known Small's Beardtongue is still blooming in the big bed... I need to get on that. :)
Yet another plant to add to my list of must haves! I can't believe I don't have such a beautifully PPPP in my garden! I love anything with a fragrance.
ReplyDeleteSweetbay, I can't tell the P smallii from the P calycosus...but will go with whatever we all vote on! I will still refer to as Penstemon X...it's too much fun not to!
ReplyDeleteIt was fun to join in Katarina's meme...sometimes you just want to show blooms! Your roses are lovely.
gail
Lynnie, I will bring it...a friend of mine grows a related plant in Houston! Ca n't wait to see you! Once I get back from Chicago...let's talk and work out a date! xxgail
ReplyDeleteHi Gail, boy I am a bit late in the pack of commentors. I got a phlox in a seed mix packet the kids gave me from Ireland. Mine is a bit more lavender in color. What a performer! I am sold on having a phlox in the garden.
ReplyDeleteJust got a Blue-eyed Grass --what a sweet plant.
Wah! I still want one, and can't find one here locally! I'll just enjoy yours vicariously.
ReplyDeleteYou are so cute. I love to read about your sweet PPPP. I just planted several creeping phlox, blue cushion or something, and look forward to seeing them smothered with blooms next spring. I'm also excited to see my new autumn bride bloom! Several other heucheras have followed me home recently, will have to do a post on them soon.
ReplyDeleteVW, I know you will like the Autumn Bride...it's a good green and then the Autumn flowering is a nice change of pace from the spring blooming ones. Aren't you glad we have so many heuchera to choose among! gail
ReplyDeleteMy dear friends, It really is exciting to see how much you all like PPPP! It really is a wonderful bloomer...I am such a benign gardener that it has happily settled in where ever it wants. Just to reassure you, I did not raise my son in that fashion! I hope you all have a stellar week in your garden and life. gail
ReplyDeleteYes! Yes! Yes! She's perfect! We sh ould all have her in our gardens!
ReplyDeleteKatarina
Gail,
ReplyDeleteI posted about the Walking Iris on April 13th of this year, if you find yourself with nothing to do, check it out. I read your comment on Raquel's blog about it.
Gail, love your PPPP. I will have to check & see if she will live here in my garden.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Memorial Day.
My woodland phlox is finished blooming, and I am sad. I can see why your call yours perfect!
ReplyDeleteI love the E Lawrence quote. I have a summer phlox that I favor but it isn't blooming yet. Things you like spreading around the garden are a welcome treat for sure.
ReplyDeleteDonna.
My three plants are doing well in their new home. Can't wait to see what they do next season. Yours is beautiful.~~Dee
ReplyDeleteGail, A person cannot begrudge this bright little phlox's appearance here and there! (In the same way, at least for now, I cannot begrudge the travels of the Virginia Bluebells.) ;-) Very bright little spots of color!!
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