• Home
  • Blog

Josh Braker

Gardening tutorials & expert advice

  • Featured
  • General
  • Planting
  • Contact Me
You are here: Home / Featured / Top 10 Essential Plants For The White Garden

Top 10 Essential Plants For The White Garden

October 14, 2016 by Josh Braker 12 Comments

10 Essential Plants For The White Garden

Top 10 essential plants for the white garden.

It goes without saying, white gardens are simply stunning. Crisp white flowers against the foliage is something that can be quite eye catching. You can make a very attractive display using plants with white flowers. White is clean, modern and simple. It’s everything a garden needs to be. I have compiled in this post, my favorite white flowering plants that are completely essential for creating that stunning white garden you have always dreamed of.

Gypsophila, sometimes known as baby's breath
Gypsophila, sometimes known as baby’s breath

Absolutely stunning. Flowers are widely used in bridal bouquets. Featuring very small dainty flowers, Gypsophila is a must have for the classic white garden. Perennial varieties grow to about 1m high and becomes smothered in beautiful white blooms for long periods. The annual variety is small and great as a ground cover or filler in the border.

 

Gardenia, highly fragrant and silky blooms
Gardenia, highly fragrant and silky blooms

Gardenia’s have to be one of my favorite all time plants. Most of all, it is highly fragrant. Gardenias will start to bloom from spring through to summer. Some varieties will bloom almost all year. They can be difficult to look after however. They are therefore they worth the extra effort required just to get the fantastically scented blooms.

Shasta daisy, an all time cottage garden classic!
Shasta daisy, an all time cottage garden classic!

Everybody knows the Shasta daisy and it’s no surprise it’s made itself on to my list of essential plants for the white garden. Due to the fact these plants continuously flower from mid spring throughout summer. Heavy bloomer and also a perennial. What’s not to love about this all time classic?

Iceberg right ahead! Iceberg rose that is
Iceberg right ahead! Iceberg rose that is

It isn’t surprising this one has made it to my list. I think every garden should have a rose plant in it somewhere. These look marvelous in the standard rose form. Plant standard iceberg roses in a line with a small hedge in front and under plant with dwarf white agapanthus for the perfect formal white garden.

White agapanthus
White agapanthus

As mentioned above, dwarf white agapanthus go exceptionally well under planted with standard iceberg roses. Agapanthus is incredibly tough, hard to kill and a reliable bloomer too. Looks spectacular planted on mass too. Low maintenance and the newer varieties are not fertile so they won’t become invasive like some of the older cultivars do.

White lavender, not what you imagined when I said lavender
White lavender

Perfect for that sunny location. Lavender thrives on heat and free draining soils. When you hear the word lavender you would most likely imagine the traditional purple flower but this one is the white version. Lavenders are generally easy to look after, check out my guide to growing lavender plants for some information on how to grow them for yourself.

White salvia covered in many blooms
White Salvia covered in many blooms

Salvia are generally easy to care for, they are a reliable bloomer and have very attractive spear shaped flowers. Furthermore they are also perennial too so you will have gorgeous white flowers year after year.

No garden is complete without the loving hydrangea
An old favorite, the hydrangea

Often referred to as old fashioned, hydrangeas have consequently made a comeback. They are featured in many modern garden designs and really do become the star of the show when they come into full flower. How can you not like hydrangea’s? Planted en masse I can guarantee these will provide a spectacular display. Dwarf cultivars are also available which are perfect for a pot on the patio.

Dhalia, the perfect cut flower
Dhalia, the perfect cut flower

Dahlia is a much loved plant across the planet. Flowers continuously throughout summer, perennial and perhaps the best part about this plant is that it makes a perfect cut flower. Remember to lift tubers in the autumn to avoid rotting in the winter months. Replant in the spring and they will soon grow once soil temperatures rise again.

Carpet of snow, it really does look like snow
Carpet of snow, it really does look like snow

In conclusion, my last noteworthy plant for the 10 essential plants for the white garden is Alyssum. Readily available and extremely easy to grow. This bedding plant really does live up to it’s name of carpet of snow. Plant on mass and it will therefore look like snow has fallen in the middle of summer. It will die off in the winter but often self seeds. It’s the sort of plant that once you’ve had it, you will never get rid of it due to thousands of tiny seeds produced by the plant.

I hope you enjoyed my article about white gardens. What have you done in your garden? Have you got a white garden or are you thinking of creating one? Let me know in the comments below.

Get your free copy of my E-Book – The White Garden

20 amazing plants in my E-Book for your white garden. Just enter your name and email in the boxes below to get your unique link to access my E-Book!








 

Filed Under: Featured, Planting

Josh Braker

About Josh Braker

I am a business owner, lifestyle blogger and horticulturalist. My aim is to pass on my knowledge to those wanting to learn about gardening.

Comments

  1. Yvonne says

    April 20, 2017 at 10:57 pm

    Absolutely love the white garden! Upon viewing the photo of the allysum, I had the early childhood memory of calling it the “cottage cheese plant”. Will be planting some soon.

    Reply
    • Josh BrakerJosh Braker says

      July 25, 2017 at 7:40 am

      I have never heard allysum being referred to as that before. How interesting, I really do like allysum. Some people refer to it as carpet of snow as when it’s filled out and in full flower it looks like snow.

      Reply
  2. Kathy says

    May 7, 2017 at 4:11 pm

    Love it. Thank you so much. I have a blank canvas and due to two dogs are planning raised beds in a white/green theme. Just planted up two pots with Cosmos, Phlox and white Geraniums which have turned out really well so very excited to get my raised beds built so I can get planting. Love the Iceberg, Agapanthus and white lavender.

    Reply
    • Josh BrakerJosh Braker says

      July 25, 2017 at 7:43 am

      Sounds like a great idea, raised beds will certainly help to prevent the dogs from getting in there and having a good dig around! Maybe try standard iceberg roses under planted with white lavender or agapanthus?

      Reply
  3. Stephanie Gleeson says

    June 15, 2017 at 4:21 am

    Great article Josh! The term en masse comes from the French . We still spell it the French way!!

    Reply
    • Josh BrakerJosh Braker says

      July 25, 2017 at 7:38 am

      Thanks for your comment Stephanie

      Reply
  4. David says

    June 21, 2017 at 1:14 pm

    Planning a white garden right now. Your article certainly confirmed many of my design thoughts.
    Including a rose called Ice Girl, Icberg, Hydrangeas and a white weeping cherry for some drama.
    Thanks for your advice.

    Reply
    • Josh BrakerJosh Braker says

      July 25, 2017 at 7:38 am

      Hi David, Thanks for your comment, your design sounds interesting. Iceberg rose’s are one my favorites, also have a look at margeret meril, another stunning white rose.

      Reply
  5. Sonia says

    June 22, 2017 at 3:41 am

    Thanks love all the ideas. Really want to do a garden with hydrangeas box woods and hoatas and maybe a few others you suggested. What I’m struggling with is figuring out blooming times so that the garden looks good from spring into late summer. Any tips?

    Reply
    • Josh BrakerJosh Braker says

      July 25, 2017 at 7:47 am

      Yes it is a tough one figuring that out. what I’ve found to be helpful in the past is to visit the garden centres at the particular time of year. If you visit in spring and come across plants in bloom then you know that they are spring flowering. Regular visits throughout the year helps with planning the garden especially if you want to achieve all year round interest in the garden. Hydrangeas and hostas would flower roughly the same time as each other. Consider adding spring bulbs into the garden, white tulips/daffodils/crocus etc. That will give you some colour at the start of the season and then add more flowering shrubs/plants that are in season in the garden centre. It’s hard to make suggestion as I don’t know what climate you live in and obviously that also has an impact too.

      Reply
  6. Pam HALLESY says

    September 8, 2017 at 5:20 pm

    Hi Josh, Just starting to plan my own small white garden only 30M x 20M and the garden is right on the north Norfolk coast, Garden is south facing and very hot and sunny but can have very gusty winds blowing through. Also would like to encourage wildlife…. any suggestions? i

    Reply
  7. judith quarrie says

    September 17, 2017 at 9:59 pm

    Hi Josh
    Great reading! I planted gypsophelia in 2 different pots in the garden and neither of them flowered? It’s my first time trying them and I’m not giving up but any handy tips?
    Many Thanks
    Judith

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter Sign up

Sign up to my Newsletter for exciting freebies!






Your email is safe with me.

Looking for something?

Connect with Me

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Blog

Recent

  • Mosquito repellent, 6 plants that naturally act as a mosquito repellent
  • Top 10 Essential Plants For The White Garden
  • Lavender Plants: A quick guide to growing lavender plants
  • Make your own Kokedama moss ball

Connect with Me

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Looking for something?

Copyright © 2019 · Magazine Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in