Trying to make an all white garden

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by lollybug, Jun 17, 2012.

  1. lollybug

    lollybug Member

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    HI,

    I'm new to the forum and not sure where to ask my questions. I would appreciate your help...I'm trying to find out what kind of apple tree, shrubs, & flowering bushes to look for when trying to plan an all white & green garden in Southern Ontario. Also what bushes are best for a white flowering privacy hedge?

    Thank you for your time!
    LL
     
  2. Sea Witch

    Sea Witch Active Member

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    What garden zone are you in?
     
  3. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

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    Richmond Hill is in zone 5.
     
  4. Sea Witch

    Sea Witch Active Member

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    hi lollybug and welcome to the forum:

    That's a pretty wide question, but I'll give you a few ideas:

    First, some websites allow you do pretty sophisticated searches for plants based on a variety of parameters including color of bloom. One that I know of is a wholesaler in BC, and here's their advanced search page. That particular one is for perennials, however. But that's just an example.

    Off the top of my head, for zone 5:

    I know there are some Hydrangea sp. that have white blooms. They can be small bushes, large, and climbing ones.

    There's an interesting white/green variegated willow bush called Salix integra 'Hakuro-nishiki' (there was recently mention of it in the Identification section) although there could be a touch of pink too.

    Mock orange, also in the Hydrangea family, Philadelphus sp. blooms white, smells good and I think it will be ok in zone 5.

    For trees, there is a Symplocos paniculata (sapphireberry) shrub/tree, Styrax sp. (Snowbell), and white flowering Dogwoods, Cornus sp.

    For a flowering apple, it isn't clear to me if you want an apple tree that bears apples *and* blooms white or just blooms white. If you're just looking for white blooms and no fruit, there are some gorgeous flowering cherry trees (there's a sub-forum here devoted to that, and wcutler is the resident expert), and flowering plum trees, like Prunus mume.

    If you're also looking for white perennials, let us know and I could give you a long list.

    That's all I can think of right now.
    I hope this helps,
     
  5. lollybug

    lollybug Member

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    Hi Sea Witch,

    Thank you so very much for your response and information . I am in zone 5 and have been trying to plan a wonderful white & green backyard space! I am not an experienced gardener however and didn't know where to start. Thank you!!

    Yes please, I would love to have the list of white perennials when you have the time to post it! Thank you, you are most kind to help me out :)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 22, 2012
  6. Sea Witch

    Sea Witch Active Member

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    You are most welcome, lollybug. That's why we're here!

    Re: perennials
    Now you are speaking my language. ;o)

    The following all have species and/or varieties that bloom white. You may not be able to find everything locally, but plants/bulbs/rhizomes can often be bought online. And this isn't everything. Just a few that I thought of.

    Foxglove (Digitalis)
    Lily (Lilium and others)
    Daylily (Hemerocallis)
    Tulip (Tulipa)
    Daffodil (Narcissus) (almost white)
    Hosta (Hosta)
    Delphinium
    Baby's Breath (Gypsophila)
    Viola (Viola)
    Anemone (Anemone)
    Yarrow (Achillea)
    Iris including bearded and Siberian
    Lilies of the Valley (Convallaria)
    Euphorbia

    These two have white varieties but they will have a different color center:
    Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum)
    Coneflower (Echinacea)

    More Bushes:
    Butterfly Bush (Buddleja) can get quite large
    Peony (Paeonia)

    I hope this helps. If you have more questions about apple trees that bear fruit, ask it in the Fruit Tree section. Go invest in a good gardening reference book if you're going to take it up.

    ;o)
     
  7. lainyg

    lainyg Active Member

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    Great list, Sea Witch!

    Don't forget Zantedeschia sp! (Calla Lily) :)

    I love hydrangeas and think arborescens (Annabelle) would be an excellent choice for a white garden. There's a website hydrangeashydrangeas.com...it's pretty simple, but has some good basic information on care, pruning and propagating.

    We have both Stryax (Snowbell) and Philadelphus (Mock orange) that are both in full bloom right now. The snowbell smells heavenly! The mock orange is supposed to smell like orange blossoms but I haven't been in that part of the yard lately to see if I have one of the scented varieties.

    I don't know the botanical name, but we had lovely white snowballs bloom with the crocuses early this spring.
     
  8. lollybug

    lollybug Member

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    Hello there,

    Thank you again Sea Witch and to Lainyg as well! I don't feel so hopeless now as to where to start. I have envisioned the perfect white garden without knowing any plant names or where to begin. I'm so happy to have come across this forum, and such kind people - what a wonderful place! I will most certainly check out the fruit tree forum as well! I'm currently looking up each and every suggestion I am not familiar with to see what they look like and research them! I have a lot of homework ;)
    All the best & regards,
    LL
     
  9. Hope you don't mind a few more for your list.
    Phlox
    hollyhock
    roses
    cosmos
    statice
    shooting star
    perennial dusty miller
    white bleeding hearts
    gayfeather (white)
    white garden mums
    clematis
    checker mallow
    candy tuft
    astlbe
    ornamental diamond grass
    perennial garden ferns

    When you get your garden planted and it comes into it's own, I bet everyone would love to see photo postings of your garden. I know I would love to see the end result on this forum site.
    Happy gardening!
     
  10. lollybug

    lollybug Member

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    Thank you Lynne! I am adding your suggestions to my list...I will certainly post photos when available. I just love this forum! So happy to have found you all here :)
    LL
     
  11. Sea Witch

    Sea Witch Active Member

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    Hi lollybug:

    I wanted to add a couple more suggestions. When you're planning your garden, keep these things in mind: one is time of bloom--you don't want everything blooming at the same time. You want things to bloom at different times in the season (year) to make your garden interesting all season (year) long. 2nd is plant in larger thick groups (or "drifts") of the same thing so you see it. If you plant a little of this and a little of that together, it's hard to focus on (or notice) any one particular planting. And since everything is white or green, consider texture too, to make it interesting. For example, this has shiny leaves, this has variegated leaves, big leaves next to small leaves, etc. That's all I can think of for now.

    And we're happy to have you on the forum, too.
     

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