Perennial Phlox

Phlox paniculata Amethyst

• Position: full sun or partial shade
• Soil: fertile, moist soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: July to October
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Phlox have always been country garden favourites for their delicious scent and attraction to butterflies and bees. This variety bears fragrant trusses of violet flowers from midsummer to mid-autumn on tall stems with bright green, narrow leaves. This long-flowering perennial will tolerate full sun or partial shade, but like all phlox, does not like soil that dries out in summer. Try it in the middle of a border as part of a deep blues and purple colour scheme. The stems need supporting in spring before the flowers appear.
  
  
• Garden care: Support with bamboo canes, brushwood or ring stakes before the flowers appear. Phlox are greedy plants, so apply a mulch 5-7cm (2-3in) deep, of well-rotted garden compost or manure in early spring. Shear off the spent flower stems to prevent re-seeding. If the leaves show signs of powdery mildew, cut down to the ground and dispose of the affected foliage, but do not compost it. Clear away the debris around the plant to reduce the chances of reinfection. Lift and divide clumps in autumn and spring.