Color Essay Number 9: Crisp, beautiful garden whites

There happens to be lots of the color white in my garden right now, not the pretty floral kind of white mind you, but rather the wintery snow covered kind instead. 

Though it is still too cold to garden, white spring flowers start early for me- by way of indoors pots of creamy white hyacinths.

When the weather finally warms, the magnolia in the front garden opens the show. Ground covers are also among the first flowers brave enough to make an appearance in the early days of a Canadian spring. Of these, my white double arabis (arabis caucasica 'Flore Plena') are probably my most favorite (not shown). The single arabis may be easier to find, but this double form is worth hunting down. With blooms that resemble popcorn, double arabis makes a beautiful understory for spring bulbs.

Another early bloomer is the white bleeding heart shown above. 

In the 'least loved white spring flower' category I would have to nominate lily of the valley. While the flowers are dainty and their fragrance lovely, lily of the valley's creeping roots are relentless. Additionally, their spear shaped leaves are prone to rust (in my garden anyway) and I find by late summer, they are a bedraggled mess. If you don't have a place in your garden where you can control their spread, I recommend that you don't grow them.

I am in danger of getting too wordy here and so I will now move right along to the pictures, as they are plentiful. I can tell you, it was really hard to choose just a few! So, without any further delay, here are some of what I think are the best white flowers from this past summer, both in my garden and elsewhere as noted:

'Songbird' Columbine from Humber Nursery is a nice change from more common varieties of columbine.

Gas Plant (Dictamnus albus)

Gas plants are slow to mature (I suggest you buy a bigger plant, if you can afford it). Mine took several years before putting on a good display, but I have to say that it has been worth the wait. ( I was so impressed with it that I added a new pink variety to the garden last summer).

As common as could be, I still love my humble Spirea

 My Pee Gee Hydrangea- it seems I never tire of photographing it. It was hard to choose a favorite shot!

A birdhouse from the Hayfield Daylily Nursery garden. ( see the Hayfield Nursery here).

A Pagoda Dogwood at the Royal Botanical Garden in Hamilton, Ontario. If only I had taken a picture of the overall bush, it was spectacular!

A white California Poppy from the Herb and Medicinal Garden at the RBG in Hamilton, Ontario

One of my white oriental lilies 

An urn from my neighbor's garden. (see her garden here).

A white pansy in a sea of aylssum

A white peony called A La Mode at the RBG Garden in Hamilton. The good thing about this simple kind of peony is that is less likely to need elaborate staking. (see the Royal Botanical Garden's peonies here)

White dahlia's from Butt's Berry and Flower Farm. (see the farm here)

Phlox paniculata 'David'- I love, love white phlox! I have it in my garden, but this picture is from the Flower's garden in Oakville, Ontario.

Meringue Echinacea, a new addition to my garden last summer. I hope it makes it through the winter! 

An old fashioned beauty: A Yucca in a neighbor's garden

A late summer beauty from my front garden. (Gladiolus Callianthus)

Have yourself a great weekend!