White allows your garden to shine and and doesn’t have to be monotonous. A white garden is an especially alluring concept that an ever increasing number of gardening enthusiasts are enjoying. One thing that many underestimate is the power and necessity of a good plan before the construction of such a garden. When the wrong plants are combined or placed incorrectly, it creates a monotonous and boring plot.
An important prerequisite is to begin by creating a tranquil, dark background in front of which light colors will be able to display their effects.
Yews (Taxus) are commonly used in English gardens as an evergreen hedge. In front of the hedge – and depending on the area available -inclined beds are traditionally planted. The staggering of different heights allows each plant to achieve full impact – from blooming ground cover to woody plants that can reach to stately heights. Garden planners recommend solitary trees for wide open areas, like the handkerchief tree (Davidia involucrata), which fits into the white garden concept well with its 7-inch long white bracts surrounding the inflorescence.
Anything But Monotonous
To avoid a monotonous effect in the garden with white and green tones, you can combine plants with various flower shapes and sizes. White lupine (Lupinus albus) look lovely next to a variety of rose like the bourbon ‘Boule de Neige‘. Once you see these two plants next to each other it becomes evident that distinctive growing habits and different leaf shapes bring an additional dynamic to a white garden. While the leaves of the rose have a dark sheen, lupines have lighter, long petioles, and palmate leaves. It’s a wonderful contrast! If you’re looking for a beautiful plant to give your garden structure, consider hostas for their large leaves that stand out noticeably from their surroundings. The varieties with variegated leaves (having white stripes) are well-suited for a white-themed garden. It goes without saying that the varieties with white blossoms should be considered!
Many gardeners make the mistake of being too dogmatic with their layout and they only select plants with pure white flowers. But it’s much more charming to change things up with different shades of white. Pinkish-white, green-white, or yellow-white flowers also belong in a white garden and provide diversity.. A landscape gardener can plan the area so that it’s an attraction from spring until late autumn, with stunning new flowers every month – from the first snowdrops (Galanthus) in spring to Japanese anemone (Anemone hupehensis var japonica) in the fall. Birches with their white bark are also a suitable choice. Grass with grey blades or silver thistles give the layout a natural feel. If you’d like, you can take the theme to the next level with white stepping stones, a wooden bench painted white, or even a white pavillion.
Glowing
A white garden unfurls its phenomenal splendor in the evening – a definite advantage for those who work outside of the home during the day. Of all the colors, white is the lightest and reflects light the best. This means that plants with light flowers – even when the sky is cloudy and in the twilight hours – will still stand out, whereas powerful colors like red, blue, or purple will no longer be distinct from their background. When dusk settles in, a white garden will glow well into the night. For this reason, it’s a good idea to set it away from the house or terrace to make it visible from the house.
