A closer look reveals attractive white streaks through the bright pink petals.

It comes from René van Gaalen’s ongoing breeding program in which he uses chemicals and other means to induce mutations. The plants in the Feelings™ series were all originally bred with the cutflower market in mind, and so meet the sought-after criteria of having strong stems and very long-lasting colour. In this last aspect, the Feelings™ range excels beyond all expectation, as the ‘flowers’ hold their colour for up to six weeks in a vase, and even longer if left on the plants!

René in the greenhouse with Phlox 'Fancy Feelings'. The bright pink colouring really stands out.

The full Feelings™ range can be divided into 2 groups, those without flowers and those with sterile flowers:

Phlox 'Fancy Feelings' falls within the sterile flowers group and is distinguished by its long, narrow, bright pink, modified 'petals' that fan out in a star shape. They are formed from a substance that is somewhere between a bract and a petal, giving a great durability that can last for as long as 10 weeks in the garden.

The other varieties that fall within this group are P. ‘Natural Feelings’ and P. 'Red Feelings'.