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White
shasta daisies at dusk |
In
1950, famous gardener, poet and novelist Vita Sackville-West
created a white garden at Sissinghurst Castle, located in
Kent, England. It is said that she imagined a landscape that
would shine in the moonlight. While she confessed to it being
an experiment possibly doomed to failure, its success marked
her as a garden visionary. Today, Sissinghurst Castle Garden
is one of the world's most celebrated gardens and continues
to inspire gardeners from all over the world.
Designing for the Dark
In her book The Twilight Garden, Lia Leendertz explains
how white, which reflects light, is a twilight gardener's
most useful tool. She recommends using it liberally in the
garden, but keep in mind that it can be overpowering during
the day's peak sun hours. The garden plan should balance white
with the other colors found in the garden.
One
winning color combination is white against dark-green, especially
a dense hedge such as cedar or yew. The English author's front
garden is entirely white and green, with a variegated euonymus,
ferns, white foxgloves (Digitalis 'Alba') and snowdrops
(Galanthus spp.) in winter. White also looks nice mixed
with silver-leaved plants such as lamb's ear (Stachys byzantina)
or silver feather (Tanacetum ptarmiciflorum). Furthermore,
it goes well with some shades of blue and purple. Remember,
sometimes the biggest challenge is having the self-discipline
required to stick to a color scheme that works well, especially
if a monochromatic white garden is the goal. Discount sales
at the local gardening center can easily distract gardeners
from the original color schemes they envisioned.
Scent should also be a consideration, as many white flowers
emit a beautiful fragrance to attract nighttime pollinators
such as moths, which are attracted to sweeter scents, and
bats, which are attracted to muskier, fruity aromas. Anyone
who knows the scent of white flowers such as honeysuckle (Lonicera
spp.), mock orange (Philadelphus) or jasmine (Jasminum
spp.) certainly knows these are powerful fragrances, long
remembered. However, be sure to keep scent in mind, especially
strong ones, when deciding how close you site these plants
to your patio or deck.
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