Caroline, do you sow the phlox for early spring growth? (or to start growing as soon as you sow it?)
The only things I sow this time of year are some greens (corn salad, lettuce, chard) in my hoop house, which will start growing now and then pretty much die back over the course of the winter and start back up again in the spring. And my garlic, of course
I've known people that planted some things like peas in the late fall, but it seems like the timing is pretty tricky...