Phlox First Editions Phlox seriesPhoto courtesy of Bailey Nurseries

“Like a kid in a candy store”. Sometimes we gardeners think of ourselves in this way when we’re at the garden center. With the four excellent color choices in the Candy Store® series of phlox you can bring the whole Candy Store home with you!

This series has three advantages over many older varieties of Summer Phlox:

  • Exceptional resistance to powdery mildew, a disease that plagues many older varieties
  • Shorter, more compact stature makes them suited for use in smaller scale gardens
  • Continuous bloom from mid-summer through autumn, if deadheaded

Other assets include intensely fragrant flowers that are great for cutting, extreme winter hardiness (Zone 3), and long lived, reliable garden performance.

First Editions® Coral Crème Drop™ Phlox

First Editions® Bubblegum Pink™ Phlox

The series includes:

First Editions® Grape Lollipop™ – Grape-colored blooms with white pinwheel center and red eye

First Editions® Coral Crème Drop™ – Coral blooms with paler center and rosy eye

First Editions® Cotton Candy™ – Softest lavender-pink/near white flowers with cotton candy centers

First Editions® Bubblegum Pink™ – Bright bubblegum pink blossoms accentuated by dark pink eye

First Editions® Candy Store® Phlox in a nutshell:

  • Mature height: 18”-24”.
  • Mature spread: 18”-24”
  • Growth form: Upright habit. Forms a dense, compact clump.
  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
  • Flowers: Abundant clusters of highly fragrant flowers in shades of palest pink through purple. Blooms heavily from July through September. Deadhead for prolonged bloom. Harvest flowers for bouquets throughout the summer!
  • Foliage Color: New growth has red tips, aging to green. Selected for excellent resistance to Powdery Mildew 
  • Light requirement: Full Sun to Light Shade
  • Water Requirements: Medium, well-drained soils.
  • Growth Rate: Fast
  • Maintenance: Harvest flowers to encourage continuous bloom. The only downside of these plants is that deer and rabbit love them, so application of animal repellent may be necessary.
  • Especially valuable for:
    • Resistance to Powdery Mildew
    • Fragrance
    • Exceptionally long bloom period
    • Excellent cut flower
    • Cottage gardens, mixed borders & cutting gardens
    • Compact habit makes them suitable for smaller scale garden
Cotton Candy™ Phlox

First Editions® Cotton Candy™ Phlox

First Editions® Grape Lollipop™ Phlox

By Zannah Crowe

Images courtesy of Bailey Nurseries – www.baileynurseries.com