A classic white garden is perfect if your clients want you to create solace in the space. Horticulture expert Rebecca Hughes details several excellent options you can pick from for the next white garden you’re asked to plant
For a patio, a corner of the garden, a border, or an overall planting scheme, white can create a peaceful visual harmony through the use of flowers, bloom times, foliage, size, shape and textures. Planting for contrasting light and dark, pattern and repetition, a white garden is a classic form of landscaping that conveys elegance and tranquillity. Here are a selection of classic white plantings you can use.
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Roses - Rosa Crystal Fairy White roses are a quintessential choice in a classic white garden. Glossy green foliage and clusters of dainty white blooms that are slightly frilled and ruffled. Lightly scented. Spreading growth. H: 80cm. | Rhododendron decorum Best White G B Rhododendrons is another quintessential planting in the white garden providing structure and form. Very Fragrant, large shrub. White Flowers. See bmn.co.nz for a selection of white rhododendrons. | Rhododendron Cunningham's White Buds of flush pink open to masses of smaller flowers of white with a pale-yellow centre. Late Oct flowering. Evergreen. H: 2m | Eucryphia cordifolia White flowers in summer. Hardy small tree or shrub for the open woodland. H: 3m. Evergreen.e |
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Hebe macrantha Hardy bush with large white flowers in early summer. Hardy native. H: 1m. Evergreen. | Francoa app Flower Girl New dwarf selection with very pale white/pink flowers suitable for a cool front border. H: 50cm | Paeony Bowl of Cream Incredibly pretty, features very large, rich creamy white full blossoms that grow very large. Flowers are packed with delicately ruffled inner petals. | Hydrangea arborescens Annabell Stunning white heads of flowers in late summer to autumn. Best in some shade. H:1.5m. Deciduous. |
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Azalea Pavlova Scented double white flowers on a strong upright bush in November. Hardy. Raised by Denis Hughes at Blue Mountain Nurseries. Mildew resistant. H: 1.5m. Deciduous. | Clematis x cartmanii Sweet Hart Beautiful white flowers in spring on a small climbing or weeping native Clematis. The deep green parsley like leaves complete a picture of beauty. Evergreen. H: 1m. | Cornus Greenvale A vigorous tree with large creamy white flowers in early summer. In our trials of hardy dogwoods, this tree has outperformed all others. Raised in Greenvale by Mrs L Paterson. Evergreen with some autumn colour as well. PVR | Viburnum plicatum Very hardy spreading shrub with white pompom flowers in spring. Good autumn colour. H: 1.5m. Deciduous. |
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Viburnum plicatum tomentosum Mariesii (Lacecap Viburnum). Creamy white flowers produced abundantly in early summer along the upper sides of the branches giving a snow-covered appearance. H: 2m. Deciduous. | Magnolia stellata Royal Star Compact rounded bush with magnificent white flowers in late spring. H: 2m. Deciduous. | Pieris japonica Purity Large glistening pure white flowers in spring smother this compact rounded bush. For best effect plant in sheltered semi shaded garden. H: 1m. Evergreen. | Rhododendron Chionoides y White flowers with a lemon-yellow blotch in Oct. H: 1.5m. Evergreen. |
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Rhododendron County of York Scented creamy- white flowers in October. Vigorous hardy plant. H: 2m. Evergreen. | Meconopsis betonicifolia Alba White flowers in spring. Plant in a cool shaded garden away from wind. H: 1m. Deciduous | Parahebe catarractae Snow Cap White flowers in summer on a hardy native for a moist garden. Flat growing. Evergreen. | Deutzia gracilis A hardy compact bush covered in white flowers in early summer. H: 1m. Deciduous. |
Pieris yakushimensis Sarabande A very free flowering small shrub for the woodland border. White flowers on a compact bush. Makes a great container plant or edging in formal gardens. H: 75cm. Evergreen. Award of Garden Merit. |  |
Rebecca Hughes is a horticulturalist from Blue Mountain Nurseries, which is based in Tapanui, West Otago, and known for its rare and unusual plants.
Today the nursery has 10 hectares in production and produces over 4,000 varieties of plants for national distribution to other nurseries, parks, landscapers, garden centres and gardeners throughout New Zealand. The nursery specialises in the propagation and growing on of hardy trees and shrubs, rhododendrons, azaleas, conifers, climbers, natives, perennials and pleione orchids. Visit bmn.co.nz for more information