Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Pink Sparkles Creeping Phlox: April Color While Lavender Wakes Up
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Pink Sparkles creeping phlox is the early riser of its group. In mid-April, when lavender is still a gray-green mound thinking about spring, this low phlox covers itself in soft baby-pink flowers with pale centers. Each bloom is about 1.5 inches across, roughly twice the size of most creeping phlox, so the effect reads from the far end of the yard.
For a lavender garden, it fills the one gap lavender cannot: the long, colorless stretch of early spring.
Pink Sparkles at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Phlox subulata 'Pink Sparkles' |
| Flowers | Soft baby pink with lighter halos, about 1.5 inches across |
| Foliage | Small, narrow, needle-like, green |
| Size | 4 to 8 inches tall, 24 to 28 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts mid-April, peaks late April, for up to six weeks |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Visited by butterflies and bees; moderately deer resistant |
A spring frame for the lavender
Creeping phlox and lavender want nearly the same things: sun, decent drainage and no soggy winter soil. Run a ribbon of Pink Sparkles along the front of a lavender row and you get a pink border in April and May, then a neat green mat that sets off the purple spikes when they arrive in summer. Its fine, needlelike leaves even look a little like a miniature version of lavender foliage.
Young plants hold a tidy mound for their first couple of years, then spread wider with age, so plant them a bit apart and let them knit together. Keep the mat a short step away from lavender crowns so air still moves around the base of each lavender plant. The Companion Plant Planner helps with spacing.
Simple care
- After bloom: shear lightly to keep the mat dense and tidy.
- Summer: it takes heat in full sun once established. In very hot, dry spells, water occasionally so it does not brown out. Watch for spider mites in hot, dry weather.
- Airflow: avoid overhead watering and crowding. Dense, wet mats can rot or brown in the center.
- Winter: hardy in Michigan. The foliage stays green or bronzes. Do not pile mulch or leaves on the mat, and trim out any winter-browned patches in spring.
Walks, walls and slopes
Pink Sparkles also earns its keep along paths, on slopes where mowing is a chore, in rock gardens and spilling over the edge of a container or low wall. Up close, the flowers carry a faint, sweet scent.
About the plug tray
It is offered as a 72-cell plug tray, a practical way to edge a long bed or cover a slope. See the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
When will Pink Sparkles bloom compared to my lavender?
Weeks earlier. It flowers from mid to late April, while most lavender blooms in early to midsummer. See the Lavender Bloom Calendar for lavender timing.
Will it take over the bed?
It spreads into a wide mat over time but stays low. A trim around the edges after bloom keeps it in its lane.
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