Phlox subulata - Hacked my Hypertufa to pieces

Phlox subulata – I Brought My Creeping Phlox From Old Home

Well, I did it! I brought my creeping phlox or Phlox subulata from my old house to the new one. Luckily in this case, it had been planted in containers, so it was not a problem at all. Especially for the time of year we were moving. March in Ohio is not a great time to dig up plants. (Even though I did !)

I had two different varieties of Phlox subulata, but I am not sure why they look so different. One is a low ground-hugging and branching plant whose stems seem like wired evergreen stems. This one was called McDaniel’s Cushion (mine was pink) when I purchased it several years ago. The stems are soft feeling.

Phlox subulata or creeping phlox

  My other variety ( a blue one)  is a slightly taller, maybe 5-6inches high but is a looser growing plant altogether. Still a tight cushion of a mass of flowers in the spring. These plants are always such a beautiful sight in the springtime.  I am dreaming when I can have a full bed of these.  My plans are to plant them on the side of the garage so that they can eventually spread and cascade down the incline into the back yard.  I have only these two small clumps, but I will add to it soon. After springtime, these phlox subulata usually go on sale because they begin to look ratty in the garden centers.

Just bring them home, water well, and give them a good haircut to get them trim and neat again, just as you would do yours already in the ground. Get them planted and then make sure they have adequate watering until the roots establish. You can get lots of creeping phlox spreading all over.

Brought these from old house in Almost Hypertufa pots - This is my pink and blue phlox subulata

Phlox subulata works in a container

I had my phlox planted in an Almost Hypertufa box. Both of them. Those plants have been in the boxes for years and do well. They bloom each year and have only been restrained by being in a small container, but have looked really bright and cheerful. I wrote about making the planters in this post.

Unfortunately, I had to destroy the planter boxes to get them out of the container. Those roots had embedded themselves into the boxes so strongly that I just couldn’t get them out without literally ripping the box off. And since those boxes are so strong, I had to split them with a shovel.  Yes, I hated to lose those two Almost Hypertufa containers ( they were two of my favorite color blends), but it had to be done.

I can make some more!

When my phlox was first planted, now I have smashed its planter.

But here at the new house, I am planning on my creeping phlox to be planted into the ground only. I want it to spread all over the side of the house. I am not sure what these bushes are, but they are blooming a white almost “elderberry-looking” bloom. Maybe you might know what these bushes are.

Phlox subulata planted on the sunny south side of the house.

Thanks for reading again today. I am rambling about the new gardens and will get to some hypertufa making soon. I need some replacements for those I didn’t get to keep. (Boo-hoo)  Still crying about my Big Hypertufa.

Meanwhile how about pinning a pretty Pin to remind us all of Spring and its beautiful creeping phlox.

Beautiful Cascading Phlox subulata - Creeping Phlox in springtime

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