Well, if you have gardens in your area that have healthy phlox, it must be something about your location they don't like. I have big stands of them in full sun and also in quite shady locations so they are adaptable. For some reason mine never seem to get fungus problems. Acutally they do very well in dry conditions so maybe you are watering more than they like or your soil doesn't drain well? You could try David which is supposed to resist mildew. You could try spraying with daconil or bayer fungicide. You could try the annual varieties. I've heard your area has very wet winters which is a problem for some plants. But it always comes back to the other gardens in your area that grow them well. I hope you find something that works for you. David has been a blooming machine in my garden--in fact since July it has only been out of bloom for a couple weeks--wonderful plant.

Do you have other spots in your garden where you could try them out? When I try out a new plant, I always buy three (and whenever possible at one of the big box stores to minimize my initial monatery investment while I'm experimenting) and put them in different areas to see where they do best; it's amazing how anyone's yard can have so many different micro-climates; sometimes only a few feet away in another direction. I'm one of the lucky ones with drifts of phlox in quite a few different colors, all very old and of unknown cultivars, but they do well for me both in full sun, and light/dappled shade. The first of mine start blooming early in July and some white and some of the pink still have a few flowers left today. Although I've heard that phlox are heavy feeders, I don't fertilize - I do a top dress of compost in the fall or work in compost when I'm planting or transplanting. Mine have been pretty well powery mildew free - I avoid wetting the leaves when watering and will occasionally thin them out to increase air circulation. As mentioned in the above reply, check your drainage; do you have standing water in your garden? I know there are many phlox fanciers on these forums who can weigh in with good advice.

Another recommendation for growing phlox is to cut out 1/3 of the stems throughout the clump in Spring to improve air circulation. Even doing that, in this mild coastal influence climate I haven't found one I can grow without mildew, not even those varieties reported to be mildew resistant.

Your problem is most likely the first invasion of mildew. The mildew sores will survive thru winters in the soil and reinfect the coming year. The spores can also survive dormant in the soil for 5 years and re-appear. Dig up all you phlox and cut off the entire plant. Dip the remaining roots in a light bleach and water solution and replant before it dries at A NEW LOCATION AT LEAST 25 FEET AWAY FROM BEFORE. Remove any leaves, stems or other past plant material the Phlox left behind and either trash it or burn it. DO NOT PUT IN COMPOSE PILE. Buy a soil treatment specifically for mildew and treat the soil where the Phlox were. that should kill the Mildew spores. If for some reason you get another occurance do not hessitate to cut off the stems and discard them before the mildew gets to the ground. Mildew usually appears on new plantings and stays if not treated. Snipping off the plant will not harm it in the long run. The roots are important not the leaves.

Annual phlox is an entirely different kind of plant than the perennial. The commonly grown phlox, phlox paniculata, flowers in mid to late summer. Creeping phlox flowers in early spring. They like moderately rich soil, full sun and good air circulation. I find Mt Fuji mildews inordinately - David much less so. Horticultural oil applied early (before evidence of mildew appears) and regularly - once a week - will provide good control of mildew.

Thank you all for your advise. I guess I'll grow something else in that area and give the phlox a try somewhere else.