White Garden

Great list Fran, its funny but I am not fond of white flowers, i prefer dark reds, oranges etc. But I have some Margurites (spelling?) which were my grandmas and they are still going about 27 yrs now.

I'm not sure how to spell 'em either but I know what you mean! wow, is that a record, do yo ukonw? over quarter of a century!

I was never really taken with white flowers, I prefer dark blues and mauves, woodland-y, cool colours. Though the occasional splash of white might be nice here and there, I can't imagine a whole garden of it.

Or, I couldn't before I started checking out these plants! somd of them do look lovely, but if htey come in other colours, i'd probably go for the other colours.

now, a blue garden ...

but then, any garden taht had only one colour plant in it would feel a bit one-dimensional. I'm sort of trying for subdued harmony, where everythign has its turn in the sun and takes turns, rather than a couple of eyecatching plants and the rest just background

Not sure about a record Fran. but they are my lasting memory of my gorgeous Nan who taught me to garden. I just love colours that clash! like orange and purple, I have seen a white garden at Hever castle and it was fab. but in my own garden I like all kinds as you say with a splash of white. i thought of another and thats escalonia, white flowers just loved by bees!

to misquote an old poem "had I but room enough, and time, these colours, lady, were no crime"!

I do like vibrant colours, and contrasts can be as entertaining as complements, but my garden is about the size of a large tablecloth and I don't think I can afford to "clash" anything; I need every bit of it to merge, cos every bit of it will be at the front.

My idea is a woodland feel, I'd have a woodland garden if I could, or better, a real woodland! (they do actually sell patches of woodlqand, and I might just be able to afford a very small slice, but - how would I get there?)

I'm trying for a place where I can chill, just sit there and *be*, and for that I need complementarity, if that's a word - and if it is, it shouldn't be!

In the garden at DITO, where I was a volunteer, I was trying to work to colour themed beds; blues-violets in one, pinks-reds in another, oranges-yellows in the third, with a sprinkling of white in all of them. I didn't know if that would work, and now I never will (tragic sob).

I was mostly concentrating on scented plants, to engage that sense as well, but I'll have to exercise moderation if I want more than one type of scent; no good if one drowns out all the rest, and the combination of various scents might not be harmonious.

I've got a white fuchsia called Carla Johnston, and there always seem to be bees flying to it. It's a single flowered species, and it's frost tender, but a lovely pearly white. I don't think I've got any white flowers in the garden.

Do they need to be 'pure and all' white Fran?
I have a very nice Centaurea 'Amethyst on Ice' which was by far the most popular plant with the bees and hoverflies in my garden last year. It is white with a dark purple centre. They flower early and then cut them back to flower later. You can see a picture on my garden pages. They can spread a bit though!
Ive just googled Centaurea 'alba' and there was some available.

ps Can't remember is they had a scent - although I suppose if they had I would have remembered :))

Thanks, Hywel, I'll have to look that one up - if it's for bees, it might be for me! to go on one of my "maybe" lists, at least.

That sounds good, Scottish, I'll have to have a look at that one,t oo. Some of the plants that I checked on in my list (actually GQT's list) were "white or near-white" - the woman asked for a "white garden" so I dunno if she'd object to "part-white" but I wouldn't!

Some flower scents are subtle to us that might we sort of wavng a flag to insects - thre must be something about it that's calling to them. lol I think it's mainly the knock-you-over scents that stick in the memory!

Don't really matter to me if it's got spreadable tendenceis, it'd be in a container, but I'd better make sure, if I get one, that it's in one on its own.

Checked your pic, and faved it, very nice, thank!

hugs to you both - pass it on! *s*

This is a very huggy site this week :)

lol have you seen Terratoonie's "hug a hamster week" blog??

Yes Fran...my dog and cat are on :)

and you as well??

No but that's me in my avatar feeding the tiger cub - I suppose you could call that a hug too as I did give it a wee one when I finished!

lol it's the depth that counts, not the size! um, I mean ....