The Sorry Gardener

It’s been so many years since my phlox has bloomed that I didn’t even remember that I had phlox. And it’s all because of a weed.

Back in May, I was going to write a post about a thistle that grows up through one of my germanders, as predictable as taxes every year. I was also going to show funny photos of weeds obscuring some of my other plants, including a fireweed that was growing in the phlox. I never got around to writing that post, but I left the weeds—you know, just in case I needed current photos.

I had so thoroughly written off phlox after surrendering the battle against powdery mildew, deer chomping it off, or it flopping over, that I hardly noticed that the weed and phlox had flourished. And as May became June and June became July, I had a 4ft fireweed growing in front of my 5ft phlox. And the phlox had started to develop flower buds. No powdery mildew, either. Still, I ignored it. No reason to get my hopes up. I knew I’d never see it bloom.

One morning, as I triaged the casualties from a particularly brutal deer decimation—fat Pat Austen rose buds: chomped. Stunning dark sedum that I hadn’t photographed yet: chomped. Prairie mallow just blooming: chomped—then I remembered the phlox and braced myself for disappointment. But wait. Only the top of the fireweed had been chomped. Not a leaf of the phlox had been nibbled. Hmm.

So my phlox is blooming and smells wonderful. I’d forgotten how much I love it. And a swallowtail butterfly even floated through my garden and landed on the phlox. I haven’t seen a butterfly for years, maybe since the last time the phlox bloomed. All because of a weed. You can bet I won’t pull it next year either.