Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Baby Doll Pink Phlox: A Short, Fragrant Phlox That Blooms Early
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Baby Doll Pink phlox is a short, early garden phlox, only about a foot tall, that covers the top of its glossy dark green foliage with bright pink flowers. Each inch-wide bloom has a white halo around a small darker eye, and the rounded clusters are dense enough to form a solid cap of color. It starts about two weeks ahead of typical garden phlox and carries a moderate, sweet fragrance.
Baby Doll Pink at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Phlox 'Baby Doll Pink' |
| Flowers | Bright pink with a white halo, in dense rounded clusters |
| Foliage | Glossy dark green |
| Size | 12 to 16 inches tall, 14 to 16 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early June, peaks late June, repeats after shearing |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 8 |
| Fragrance | Moderate |
| Wildlife | Great for butterflies, hummingbirds and bees; deer like it |
Next door to the lavender
Phlox and lavender both love sun, but phlox wants richer soil and steady water, which lavender will not tolerate. The solution is adjacency: a cottage border beside the lavender bed, or the front of a mixed bed a few feet away where you can water without soaking lavender roots. Baby Doll Pink peaks in late June, right as many lavenders open, so pink and purple bloom together. That is a cottage-garden combination that never goes out of style.
Its short height is the big advantage. Most garden phlox are 3 feet tall and need the back of the border. This one fits the front, small gaps and containers. Lay out the cottage bed in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Soil: average to fertile, well drained.
- Water: regular water. Drought stress invites spider mites.
- Rebloom: after the first flush, shear the stems back nearly to the ground. New growth brings a second round of flowers.
- Fall: cut stems to the ground in late fall and clear the debris.
- Every few years: divide to keep plants vigorous. It spreads slowly by short rhizomes.
Powdery mildew is the usual garden phlox problem in humid summers. Baby Doll Pink showed exceptional resistance in trials, which is good news for Michigan gardeners who have watched taller phlox turn gray by August.
Cutting and fragrance
It rates well as a cut flower. Cut stems when about half the florets in a cluster are open. A few stems of fragrant pink phlox and fresh lavender in a small vase smell like early summer.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a creeping phlox?
No. It is an upright garden phlox, just a short one, about 12 to 16 inches tall.
Can it grow in a container?
Yes. Its compact size suits pots. Keep the mix evenly moist.
Do deer eat phlox?
Deer do browse phlox, so protect it in open, rural gardens.
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