I've got to be very selective with plants for the front garden because it's not massive and I need flowers that have a very long flowering season to make the backbone of it, preferably flowering from May to October if possible.
Pinks prefer neutral to alkaline soil Lou, so perhaps you have slightly acidic conditions?
Shrubs, rather than perennials will give you a framework, so that you can have other planting in and out the seasons. I'm guessing it's fairly sunny. My old favourites - Hebes, will work, and also bog standard Potentilla, the white one will give you a neutral to add lots of colours around it that you like. Alliums and spring bulbs give you verticals without too much width, and you can add annuals in between like cornflowers which do the same kind of job.
Hope that gives you a couple of ideas to start with
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Potentilla yes definitely, I was trying to remember what that was called
It's all going to be white so I thought white cosmos can fill the gaps until the perennials have established.
I'm getting two Winchester cathedral white roses as they have a long repeat flowering season, white salvia, a border of white lavendar, the new sweetpea of course - Gardner's Jubilee even though I'm incredibly miffed they didn't choose the name I entered
I need some long flowering white perennials for height also.
I'm going to stick to a few varieties if possible. No more than about 6.
White foxgloves obviously.
Only two weeks to go until they come and rebuild my front garden
All of the above and maybe think about plants that don't necessarily flower the whole time but have a "long season of interest" with seedheads or colour change. I chose my Viburnum in September because of the leaf colour but it also has lovely leaf shape and great snowball flowers earlier in the year. Heuchera are semi-evergreen and there are some striking colours in those.
Yes - look for good contrast in foliage shape, colour and size then Lou. Evergreen foliage in particular to stop it being totally bare through winter. Heucheras (and Tiarellas) are great as ppauper says are very useful. If the site's sunny, make sure they don't get too dry. Give them shade from other plants if that's the case. They can take sun if they have plenty of rainfall.
White gardens can be tricky to get right, so add creams and pale pink/lilac etc to keep the balance. I have a Tiarella called 'Cygnet' which flowers for ages if it gets enough rain. Very very pale pink flowers, almost white starting from darker buds. I don't like pastels but I've moved it near other harmonious planting so it works well now.
It's good fun experimenting though!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I was going to do whispering smilies but someone has stolen them!
FG is the queen of the "white" garden. Vewy vewy stayleesh! I've seen pics and there is enough colour to stop it being flat and contrived. Lots of form and texture too. See if you can hunt her down on the pics threads. ;-)
There's an excellent pic of her garden on your white garden thread.
Verbena bonariensis is very long flowering. I have known it to begin flowering in April, though it's usually May when it starts and carries on well into autumn. I have seen it flowering in December in mild autumns. It isn't white though but purpley blue. It's easy to grow and self seeds.
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
Posts
Annoyingly my favourites "pinks' and scabiosa hate my soil and refuse to grow in it other than as annuals
Pinks prefer neutral to alkaline soil Lou, so perhaps you have slightly acidic conditions?
Shrubs, rather than perennials will give you a framework, so that you can have other planting in and out the seasons. I'm guessing it's fairly sunny. My old favourites - Hebes, will work, and also bog standard Potentilla, the white one will give you a neutral to add lots of colours around it that you like. Alliums and spring bulbs give you verticals without too much width, and you can add annuals in between like cornflowers which do the same kind of job.
Hope that gives you a couple of ideas to start with
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Potentilla yes definitely, I was trying to remember what that was called
It's all going to be white so I thought white cosmos can fill the gaps until the perennials have established.
I'm getting two Winchester cathedral white roses as they have a long repeat flowering season, white salvia, a border of white lavendar, the new sweetpea of course - Gardner's Jubilee even though I'm incredibly miffed they didn't choose the name I entered
I need some long flowering white perennials for height also.
I'm going to stick to a few varieties if possible. No more than about 6.
White foxgloves obviously.
Only two weeks to go until they come and rebuild my front garden
All of the above
and maybe think about plants that don't necessarily flower the whole time but have a "long season of interest" with seedheads or colour change. I chose my Viburnum in September because of the leaf colour but it also has lovely leaf shape and great snowball flowers earlier in the year. Heuchera are semi-evergreen and there are some striking colours in those.
Yes - look for good contrast in foliage shape, colour and size then Lou. Evergreen foliage in particular to stop it being totally bare through winter. Heucheras (and Tiarellas) are great as ppauper says are very useful. If the site's sunny, make sure they don't get too dry. Give them shade from other plants if that's the case. They can take sun if they have plenty of rainfall.
White gardens can be tricky to get right, so add creams and pale pink/lilac etc to keep the balance. I have a Tiarella called 'Cygnet' which flowers for ages if it gets enough rain. Very very pale pink flowers, almost white starting from darker buds. I don't like pastels but I've moved it near other harmonious planting so it works well now.
It's good fun experimenting though!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I love them but I don't think they do a white one.
Ah the post with the "white" bit in it wasn't there when I started.
The viburnum still fits though.
Last edited: 02 July 2016 10:43:09
Viburnums are very nice!
I was going to do whispering smilies but someone has stolen them!
FG is the queen of the "white" garden. Vewy vewy stayleesh! I've seen pics and there is enough colour to stop it being flat and contrived. Lots of form and texture too. See if you can hunt her down on the pics threads. ;-)
There's an excellent pic of her garden on your white garden thread.
Last edited: 02 July 2016 11:02:26
Verbena bonariensis is very long flowering. I have known it to begin flowering in April, though it's usually May when it starts and carries on well into autumn. I have seen it flowering in December in mild autumns. It isn't white though but purpley blue. It's easy to grow and self seeds.