Because we’re enduring yet another round of snow and ice today, I’m going to go to my happy place, the garden. One of the most reliable perennials I grow is Phlox paniculata ‘David.’ It’s touted as one of the most mildew-resistant varieties of phlox, and it certainly lives up to that reputation in my garden. ‘David’ grows to 3 or 4 feet tall in full sun or partial shade. It has a lovely sweet fragrance that’s especially noticeable on humid evenings. It blooms a little later in the summer than many of the other perennials, and if you cut off the spent blooms, ‘David’ will rebloom although not as vigorously.
A sport of ‘David’ was recently introduced called ‘David’s Lavender.’ It’s supposed to share the same mildew-resistance as ‘David’ and grows to 4 feet tall with lavender flowers.
I searched for ‘David’s Lavender’ plants for a couple of years with no luck, but last spring they finally became more widely available. I purchased one and put it at the back of one of my flowerbeds. Unfortunately, the nearby zinnias grew like gangbusters and overpowered my new plant. It didn’t grow much taller than 2 feet. It also developed a mild case of powdery mildew late in the season.
I’m still holding out hope for Phlox ‘David’s Lavender’ in my garden. The flowers were very pretty and fragrant, and for most of the summer the plant was healthy. Next summer I’ll give it more room to grow and breathe and hopefully it will reach its full potential.