Phlox Luminary® 'Backlight'

Phlox Luminary® 'Backlight': Pure White Calm Among Loud Colours

Pure white, fragrant domes that glow at dusk like somebody left the porch light on. 'Backlight' makes the evening garden look like A FILM SET.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Phlox paniculata 'Backlight'
• Common Name: Tall Garden Phlox
• Series: Luminary®, a Proven Winners® perennial
• Height: 71–76 cm (28–30 in)
• Spread: 51–61 cm (20–24 in)
• Flowers: Pure white, fragrant, in well-defined, dome-shaped panicles
• Bloom Time: Midsummer to late summer (July to September), with rebloom
• Foliage: Dark green, mildew resistant
• Features: Fragrant, good disease resistance, long blooming, good for cutting
• Plant Patent: USPP 34,506; Can PBRAF

Where to Plant: Plant it in the middle of a sunny border, in cottage and pollinator gardens or in big containers. White phlox calms loud colour schemes and lights up an evening garden.

Companion Plants: Aconitum carmichaelii 'Arendsii' rises behind with blue flowers on 120 to 150 cm stems from August to October. Anemone 'Robustissima' adds pink anemones in September and October as the phlox winds down. Geranium 'Cambridge' covers the front with magenta flowers from May to July, before the phlox opens. White phlox in the middle keeps the whole bed bright.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun, in fertile, well-drained soil that stays evenly moist. Water at the base during dry spells rather than over the leaves. Even a mildew-resistant phlox does best with good air flow, so give it some elbow room and thin a few stems in spring if the clump gets dense. Deadhead spent flower heads to encourage rebloom and to stop self-sown seedlings, which won't match the parent. Cut stems to the ground in late fall or early spring. Divide every three or four years in spring to keep the clump vigorous.

History: The Luminary® Collection of tall garden phlox comes from Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, selected for better disease resistance than typical Phlox paniculata, and 'Backlight' is its pure white member. The species is native to eastern North America and has been a summer border favourite for centuries.

Final Thoughts: Long blooming, mildew resistant and a favourite with hummingbirds. Plant it where you sit after dinner. THIS IS YOUR GOOD LIGHTING.