Friday, February 19, 2010

The White Garden

 
 
 
 



The white garden at Sissinghurst Castle July 2009

White is clean & fresh like a laundry detergent commercial. White foliage stands out in shade. The flowers of many shade plants such as Aruncus dioicus  & Trillium ovatum are white. A white garden has a quiet, old-fashioned charm. White combines well with blue flowers & gray foliage. Try Hebe glaucophylla with Galtonia candicans or Ornithogalum umbellatum.  There is a very lovely little white garden among the demonstration gardens at Strybing Arboretum in San Francisco.  The most famous white garden is at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, England.  White is perhaps the most common color theme for gardens.  Adding some blue, pink &/or purple creates more interest.

Plant List
Trees: with white flowers, except as noted
Cornus kousa chinensis (Korean Dogwood)
Davidia involucrata (Dove Tree)
Magnolia grandiflora (Southern Magnolia)
Sorbus cashmiriana (Mountain Ash): white fruit & flowers
Styrax japonica or obassia (Snowdrop Tree)

Shrubs: with white flowers, except as noted
Choisya ternata (Mexican Orange)
Cistus x hybridus (White Rockrose)
Holodiscus discolor (Ocean Spray)
Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea)
Philadelphus lewisii (Mock Orange)
Pieris japonica ‘Variegata’: white foliage & flowers
Rhaphiolepis umbellata (Yeddo Hawthorne)
Viburnum plicatum tomentosum (Doublefile Viburnum)
Weigela florida ‘Variegata’: white foliage & pink flowers

Perennials: with white flowers, except as noted
Acorus gramineus ‘Variegatus’ (Sweet Flag): white foliage
Aruncus dioicus or aethusifolius (Goat’s Beard)
Erythronium oregonum (Fawn Lily)
Galtonia candicans (Summer Hyacinth)
Ornithogalum umbellatum (Star of Bethlehem)
Romneya coulteri (Matilija Poppy)
Smilacina racemosa (False Solomon's Seal)
Tellima grandiflora (Fringe Cup)
Trillium ovatum (Western White Trillium)

Groundcovers & Trailers
Aegopodium podagraria ‘Variegatum’ (Bishop’s Weed): white foliage
Cerastium tomentosum (Snow in Summer): white foliage & flowers
Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft): white flowers
Lamium maculatum ‘White Nancy’: white foliage & flowers
Sedum spathulifolium ‘Cape Blanco’: white foliage & yellow flowers

2 comments:

Ángel Zamora said...

Preciosas, realmente preciosas todas las flores vestidas de blanco. Seguro que se podrían hacer múltipes combinaciones en un jardín...

Saludos y enhorabuena por el blog.

Alyssa H said...

This is wonderful! We are looking into doing a white garden ourselves this summer and I think your information will be very useful. We look forward to trying some of your ideas. Thank you for your post!