Comments on: Elegant White Summer Flowers

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:07:09 +0000

Ken, again thank you for letting me know that the photos are not showing up for you. I will check into it to see what the problem might be. I have tested the site in IE 7 and 8, Firefox, Safari and Opera. Are you using a different browser than these? A translator? I would like to get the pictures working for you.

By: Ken from Sweden

Ken from Sweden — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 05:47:47 +0000

Hi again!
If I click on the emty place I can see your pictures one by one, They are beautiful and it shows that we have not only same climate but simular plants to.
I hope I get right soon, this is a very intresting blog, just in my taste.
Ken

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:15:35 +0000

Pomona, my David phlox in medium shade is almost a month behind in blooming compared to the one that is in part shade. It’s shorter, but does surprisingly well.
All of the double impatiens in the garden look just like that photo, full of blooms the entire season. The drawback here is that they pack it in at the first frost. I’m not sure how they handle extended heat.
The cyclamen sounds pretty. It’s great to have a reliable flower for the late season, something to anticipate.

By: Pomona

Pomona — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:37:17 +0000

I’m also a white flower fan. One other reason to love them: they make you feel cooler in hot weather!

I’ve been toying with the notion of getting phlox ‘David’; you may have sent me over the edge. Good to know they also bloom in a bit more shade; you could stagger bloom on purpose maybe. I also love the double white impatiens, which I hadn’t seen before. Some late summer/early fall stalwarts in my garden: Rudbeckia hirta (along with everyone else); Cyclamen neapolitanum (I may have gotten the name wrong; but it’s close); a species rose-pink cyclamen that comes back reliably fall after fall; it has just started flowering and will go until November. This year I’ve also got some cool varieties of gaillardia just kicking in. But they’re no good for shade.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:41 +0000

Karen, they do have a very nice scent. I planted peony, lilac and phlox near my bedroom window, thinking the fragrance would drift in at night, but it didn’t work yet. They do perfume the air when I go to my water tap though.

By: Karen

Karen — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:29:06 +0000

The scent of phlox on a summer evening is up there with the most delightful smells in the world. Thanks for the lovely photos!

- Karen

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:21:21 +0000

Barbara, my Phlox paniculata in part-shade is a good sized clump, but my phlox in medium shade is about 30cm (1ft) shorter, and smaller around. The bloom is also delayed for my phlox in medium shade.
I have an Annabelle hydrangea, but it is still small, and I think it is in too much shade, since it only has 4 blooms on it. I’ll see if it blooms more next year.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:05:41 +0000

Only two years ago I planted phlox paniculata in my garden. But I realized they need a lot of sun to get a reasonable size. On the northern side of the house I also have the white impatience walleriana and furthermore a sort with white/green leaves. This year I am not so lucky with the hydrangeas (of all sorts). Only a few plants show some blooms. That’s a pity, I like them very much. But I hope for next year. Do you know the haydrangea arborescens “Annabelle” with its huge and also long lasting flowers. Very recommendable.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:34:27 +0000

Marie, white flowers and silver foliage have good reflection in the shade. They are very noticeable in the shadows.
Thanks for the information about P. paniculata ‘Katherine’. I’ve been thinking about adding some to the garden, since the lavender coloured blooms with white stars look pretty. Your photo of ‘Katherine’ shows how good it looks in the garden. I haven’t had much mildew problems on phlox, but I know it’s always a possibility.
The Chicago Botanic Garden has some good information about the mildew resistance of specific varieties of phlox from their trials. Here’s their summary of phlox mildew resistance, http://www.chicago-botanic.org/downloads/planteval_notes/no13_phlox.pdf. Even the ones they rate as good have a percentage of mildew. ‘Katherine’ received a good overall rating. The ‘Mount Fujiyama’, which I grew at my last garden, received a poor rating for mildew resistance from them.

By: Marie

Marie — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:39:39 +0000

Hi Northern Shade Gardener,

I never realized what a pop white flowers can be. Thanks for the great pictures. I will be looking for more white in the future, especially in the part shade parts of my garden.

I’m in love with ‘David’. My husband is OK with that. ‘Katherine’ has a little mildew right now and is dropping lower leaves. I’m sure there is not enough air circulation. Things are a little tight in my “Mother’s Garden”. I have a stand of snapdragons in front of the phlox. The snapdragons hide the messy lower parts of the phlox but may further impede air flow.

It was very nice to meet you. I’m enjoying your blog very much. Zone 3 brrrr!