Phlox 'Fashionably Early Flamingo'

Phlox 'Fashionably Early Flamingo': Flamingo Pink, Early to the Party

Light lavender-pink clusters with a purple eye, the closest thing to a flamingo you can plant without the neighbours questioning your taste. 'Fashionably Early Flamingo' IS PLASTIC-FREE AND PROUD.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Phlox hybrid (P. maculata 'Alpha' x P. 'Amethyst Pearl')
• Common Name: Garden Phlox
• Height: 75–90 cm (30–36 in)
• Spread: About 80 cm (31 in)
• Flowers: Light lavender-pink with a light purple eye, fading to pale lavender as they age. Produced in generous clusters.
• Bloom Time: Early summer to late summer (June to August), with repeat bloom if deadheaded
• Foliage: Leathery green leaves, highly resistant to powdery mildew
• Features: Early blooming, mildew resistant, good for cutting
• Plant Patent: USPP 29,911

Where to Plant: Give it a spot in the middle of a sunny border, where its early colour fills the lull after the spring bloomers. Plant a group of three for a real drift of colour, and cut a few stems for a vase.

Companion Plants: Lupinus perennis flowers blue in May and June, just as the phlox gets going. Echinacea Sombrero® Baja Burgundy adds burgundy coneflowers from July to September at 46 to 56 cm. Symphyotrichum novae-angliae rises at the back with purple asters in August and September. Pink, burgundy and purple give a rich, layered look for sun or part sun.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun, in fertile, well-drained soil that holds some moisture. Full sun gives the most flowers and the strongest stems. Water deeply during dry spells and try to keep the leaves dry. Snip off the first round of faded clusters to push out more blooms. Cut the stems to the ground in late fall or early spring. Divide every three to four years in spring to keep the clump vigorous. Garden phlox is a deer favourite, so use a repellent or fencing where deer roam.

History: 'Fashionably Early Flamingo' was bred by Hans Hansen at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, from a 2012 cross between Phlox maculata 'Alpha' and Phlox 'Amethyst Pearl'. That cross produced the whole Fashionably Early group, bred to bloom early and resist mildew.

Final Thoughts: It blooms early, resists mildew and keeps going if you deadhead. Stand it on one leg if you must. BEST BIRD IN THE BORDER.