White flowers lend a lovely effect to the garden, especially on hot summer days. White flowers practically glow in the evening, so they're perfect for planting along pathways, or up against a deck or patio. Check out some of our favorite white flowers.
Lily of the valley :
This sweetly scented ground cover is an old-fashioned favorite. A standby for shade, it has small white flowers and can spread quickly.
Note: All parts of lily-of-the-valley are poisonous.
Plant Name: Convallaria majalis
Growing Conditions: Shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 1 foot tall; clumps can spread several feet wide
Plant it with: Lily-of-the-valley looks great as a carpet under taller plants such as bleeding heart.
Iceberg Rose:
One of the most dependable types of white flowers, 'Iceberg' produces clusters of fragrant, creamy-white blooms all summer and fall.
Name: Rosa 'Iceberg'
Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide
Plant it with: 'Iceberg' pairs perfectly with any other type of rose, as well as lavender (Lavandula) and catmint (Nepeta).
Annabelle Hydrangea:
Annabelle hydrangea is one of the easiest types of white flowers to grow. It blooms in midsummer producing large, pure white clusters that are perfect for cutting.
Plant Name: Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'
Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 5 feet tall and wide
Plant it with: 'Annabelle' is a perfect partner for bigleaf hydrangeas or oakleaf hydrangea
Japanese anemone:
A great cut flower for the fall garden, Japanese anemone produces cup-shaped blooms in shades of pink and white. It can be a bit of spreader; plant it where it has plenty of room to grow.
Plant Name: Anemone hybrida
Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 5 feet tall; clumps can spread several feet across
Plant it with: Anemones make great companions for goldenrods, as well as tall varieties of aster.
Lilac:
You don't have to rely on only annuals and perennials for beautiful flowers. Many shrubs -- including lilac -- also offer beautiful white blooms.
Plant Name: Syringa selections
Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 20 or more feet tall and wide
Plant it with: Most lilacs grow large enough that they don't accommodate a plant partner. Try dwarf selections with peonies or shrub roses for a beautiful spring combination.
Calla:
Another favorite cut flower, calla is a tender plant with elegant, vase-shaped flowers. White is the classic color, but you can also find callas in shades of yellow, orange, pink, and purple.
Plant Name: Zantedeschia selections
Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist soil
Size: To 3 feet tall
Plant it with: Callas look beautiful with the full flowers of double dahlias and accent the tropical feel of dwarf cannas.
Cup Flower:
Cup flower is a fantastic plant for adding fine texture to the front of the border or in containers. It produces white, lavender, or purple flowers all summer long over ferny foliage.
Plant Name: Nierembergia caerulea 'Mont Blanc'
Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 1 foot tall and wide
Plant it with: Try annual vinca (Catharanthus), which has similar flowers but a coarser texture.
so they're perfect for planting along pathways, or up against a deck or patio. Check out some of our favorite white flowers.
Sweet autumn clematis:
Sweet autumn clematis is sure to fill your entire garden with its sweet scent at summer's end. This vigorous vine needs a sturdy support to climb on.
Plant Name: Clematis terniflora
Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and well-drained soil
Size: Climbs to 20 feet or more
Plant it with: This fast-growing vine doesn't play well with others; let it cover its support all on its own.
Shasta daisy:
One of the most cheerful perennials, the Shasta daisy offers simple white flowers with sunny yellow centers for most of the summer.
Plant Name: Leucanthemum x superbum
Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and well-drained soil
Size: To 3 feet tall and 1 foot wide
Plant it with: Silvery lamb's ear (Stachys byzantina) makes a perfect foil for Shasta daisy.
so they're perfect for planting along pathways, or up against a deck or patio. Check out some of our favorite white flowers.
Annual vinca
Annual vinca has a decidedly tropical look with its saucer-shaped white flowers in saturated shades of red, rose, pink, and purple. The white varieties stand out best, though.
Plant Name: Catharanthus roseus
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: to 18 inches tall and wide
Plant it with: Grow annual vinca as an upright contrast to trailing calibrachoa or mini petunias.
Queen Anne Lace:
This easy-growing cut flower offers umbrella-shaped clusters of lacy blooms in mid to late summer. A relative of the carrot, it has a taproot and doesn't transplant well, but it reseeds gregariously.
Plant Name: Daucus carota
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: To 4 feet tall and 1 foot wide
Plant it with: Queen Anne's lace has a lot of charm; plant it with other cottage-garden plants such as foxglove (Digitalis) or zinnia.
Immortality Iris :
Tall bearded irises are great garden plants, but varieties like pure-white 'Immortality' are must-haves because they often rebloom again in late summer.
Plant Name: Iris 'Immortality'
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: To 3 feet tall and 1 foot wide
Plant it with: Use peonies (such as 'Krinkled White') for a knock-out combination.
Datura:
This beautiful annual is great for evening gardens; its perfumed white trumpet-shaped white flowers open at dusk and remain open until dawn.
Note: All parts of this plant are extremely poisonous
Plant Name: Datura meteloides
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil. Once established, it is quite drought tolerant.
Size: To 3 feet tall and wide
Plant it with: Grow datura alongside evening primrose (Oenothera), which also blooms at night.
