Sissinghurst famous white garden

The concept of the white garden was created when at the turn of the 20C  Vita Sackville-West designed her famous white garden at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent. No doubt many before her had hit a upon this winning formula, but as a prolific garden writer her creation hit the fashionable gardening titles and garden supplements of her day. The fashion for the white garden or just white border for those with humbler gardens was born.

Here are a few plants to consider adding to your sliver and white border.

Pyrus salicifolia var. orientalis pendula

Pyrus salicifolia var.Orientallis ‘Pendula’: A beautiful small weeping tree, with delicate thin foliage held on graceful dipping branches. This tree will give height and elegance to a white garden.

Philadelphus coronarinus varigatus

Philadelphus coronarinus varigatus: This medium sized shrub is a must for the white garden, with an upright habit and almost sliver variegation, and strongly scented white flowers in  mid-summer.

Hebe albicans

Hebe albicans: A wonderful small compact shrub with a domed habit, this evergreen hebe is a must for the front of the border . With tight sliver foliage and small white flowers in late summer

Artemisia absinthium ‘Lambrokk Mist’

Artemisia absinthium ‘Lambrook Mist’:  Has  fine feathery  aromatic foliage with a colour of soft grey. With clusters of small white flowers in mid-summer. It is a  small sized sub-shrub which can be a  bit tender, but it’s dramatic foliage means it is a worth while addition to the garden.

Convolvulus cneorum

Convolvulus cneorum: A delicate small mound forming shrub. With soft sliver foliage. Small white blushed trumpet flowers are produced from mid to late summer. This evergreen, is a valuable shrub for the front of the boarder.

Helianthemum ‘The Bride’

Helianthemum  ‘The Bride’: For a sunny spot at the edge of a path, or tumbling over a wall, this rock rose, has small grey evergreen leaves and a mass of semi-double white flowers produced in mid -summer. A good addition to the white garden.

White and sliver planting

Top Tip: White is a recessive colour so it makes things seem further away, which is a good illusion to use in garden planting, It enables the designer of the planting to use white to give a stretchered and false prospective. Also white as a colour ‘leaps out’ of darker surroundings so is wonderful in shady spots. A Sliver and white border will particularly come into its  own  in the lower light levels of twilight and into dusk.  As wonderful as a solid white and sliver border may be, consider using splashes of soft mauve and light blue, intermittently through the planting, to help to add visual lift the planting palette.

white and sliver , make for a dramatic cut flower display

I hope I have inspired you to get creative, if you need help to design your white and sliver garden, I know just the woman to give you a hand. Do give me Emily a ring on 01273 470753, I would be delighted to design your garden  project with you.