The tiny white daisies of Zinnia
angustifolia team with white-
striped ribbon grass to create
this white, candlelit garden.

Cool Whites

Turn a garden into a classic, using a palette of white. Widely available in flowers, foliage, and garden decor, white projects a refreshing clarity. Paint with white to expand your garden's visual boundaries just as you would brush on white to enlarge interior rooms. Dull or shady areas, especially, benefit from white's sparkle.

Include any variation of white, from buff to silver, to give your white garden interest beyond the pale. Light pastel colors blend well too, so highlight white with pale peach, yellow, lavender, and pink. In an all-white garden, texture becomes all-important in establishing individual plant identities. Combine thick, satiny petals with sheer ones; set off large, showy blooms by framing them with feathery flowers or foliage.

Related Slide Show: Best White Flowers for Your Garden

 

Dressed in summer whites: phlox,
hydrangea, baby's breath, and
'Fair Bianca' rose.

All-white gardens shine as the sun goes down. Place a fragrant white border where it will captivate at twilight. Some white fragrant bloomers to place along paths and lean against arbors include peonies, nicotiana, moonflowers, phlox, and lilies. Include jasmine or stephanotis in warm climates.

Garden elements reflect the same glow as white plantings. Pale-color gravel, stepping-stones, arbors, and picket fences put a permanent luster on white gardens.

Related Feature: Fragrant Garden Plan