PHLOX TRIUMPHANT

摘要

Plain old phlox can look out of date in this design moment when windblown grasses, stark seed heads, and spiky succulents are in vogue. Even home gardeners and designers who still love the plant for its fragrance and long bloom time have been discouraged by the mildew that afflicts many phlox species when the days turn hot and the nights humid. Lots of the tall, prominent plants are disfigured with white blotches on just those late summer evenings when the garden is where you want to be. This past year has seen two good omens for phlox. The first is a lively and literate book celebrating the species; the second is a very useful evaluation of specific cultivars, including one that tests as virtually mildew proof.