Color is important to many gardeners.
If you fall into that category and have perhaps bypassed the white varieties of your favorites, then there are numerous reasons to reconsider.
You might not even want to develop an entire white garden (called moon gardens for the special way they reflect on late summer evenings under the light of the moon) but there are lots of lovely perennial white varieties that you will want to think about adding to your collection.
Although there are a few perennial plants that provide continuous blooms over the whole season, it is much more common for perennials to bloom for some sort of window.
By planting numerous varieties you can enjoy blooms at different times over the growing season.
Let’s first talk about phlox.
1. Phlox
Some varieties:
- White Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata ‘Spring White’)
- Tall Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Backlight’)
- Tall Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘David’)
Whether you want the spring-blooming, low-to-the-ground, white creeping phlox or any of the tall garden varieties that bloom later in the summer, phlox has earned its place in thousands of gardens for good reason.
Beautiful and generally fuss-free, phlox is frequently used as an inexpensive border plant in perennial plantings.
It’s fragrant, the tall varieties can be used as cut flowers, and no matter which variety you choose, massing of flowers will entice buzzing hummingbirds and butterflies to stop by.
The creeping varieties stay within eight inches of the ground and will trail over edges fairly easily in the garden. Typically, the creeping varieties flower in spring, creating carpets of white flowers.
Tall varieties can flower for six weeks or more. Some start flowering in June and other varieties stay dormant until August. You can select the varieties to stagger the blooms and ensure a longer flower show. Tall varieties can grow to two or three feet in height.
2. White Stonecrop (Sedum album)
White stonecrop (Sedum album) is a compact, evergreen succulent that tolerates an surprising number of environments. It will even accept light foot traffic if you plant it among stones in a path.
A rather slow-growing plant, the value of white stonecrop is primarily based on its unusual appearance and ability to thrive in local settings where most plants will not.
This sedum will hold up through the winter months in zones as cold as 3 and happily grow in dry conditions in poor-quality or rocky soil given full sun. It can tolerate some conditions with shade but it won’t flower as robustly.
The green-white, star-shaped flowers form in clusters on stems just above the foliage at about 4 inches (10.16 centimeters) tall and will last throughout July and August.
White stonecrop foliage will differ in color, depending on the quantity of water it receives. Green with adequate moisture and reddish-brown with less moisture.
3. Western Yarrow (Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis)
Western yarrow is a resilient native wildflower found throughout North America. It thrives in practically any environment suitable to USDA hardiness zones 2-9.
Yarrow manages fine in low- or high-quality soils, and can endure extremely dry conditions, although full sun is the very best environment.
Yarrow is an appealing plant for any gardener, plus it is attractive to pollinators, as well. Because it attracts predatory wasps, hover flies, and ladybugs, some gardeners may elect to plant yarrow in amongst their food crop to attract pest predators.
Yarrow will bloom early in May, continuing into mid-September, or often until killing frost occurs, at the end of the growing season. Plants achieve heights from 10-36 inches (25.40-91.44 centimeters).
4. Hydrangea
Some varieties:
- Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’
- Hydrangea paniculata ‘Renba’ (Berry white)
- Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’
Hydrangeas are flowering shrubs that sometimes grow as small trees, and come in many sizes, shapes, and colors.
Whether you want to grow them in a large hedgerow, as a vine, as a bed with an accent variety, or even as a container display, you can certainly find a hydrangea for any garden!
For hydrangea varieties that are planted well, pruned well, fed well, and watered well, you can expect them to live for decades!
Depending on the hydrangea variety, hydrangeas sometimes can grow to 7 feet (2.13 m) tall, and can spread to 5 feet (1.52 m) wide.
Hydrangeas can be grown in sunny settings to partly shady conditions, and generally like moderate conditions in all situations.
Hydrangeas can become stressed and wilted when they have too much sun, however they will not bloom to their fullest if they are planted too shaded.
Moreover, do not let them get dry; you will need to water them and mulch them if they must endure a cold, extended winter.
The H. paniculata varieties have white coned-shaped flowers, which transition to a slight pink towards the end of the season. Their hardiness can range from USDA hardiness zone 3-8.
The H. arborescens varieties are nicknamed smooth hydrangeas. The H. arborescens variety ‘Annabelle’ is one of the most common hydrangea varieties, and it has huge size white globe-shaped blooms.
Most hydrangea varieties bloom from late spring into early summer for about two months, some varieties bloom into the fall!
5. Astilbe
Some varieties:
- Astilbe chinensis ‘Vision in White’
- Astilbe x arendsii ‘Bridal Veil’
My introduction to astilbe occurred when I planted my first shady garden. I still grow astilbe and recommend it frequently for shady plantings, but doing best with just a little sun.
Astilbe has a high hardy perennial zone rating, which will happily grow in gardens planted in USDA hardiness zones 3-8.
There is a significant number of astilbes, even just white blooming cultivars, all have different heights and bloom times.
Dwarfs, the tallest, may be almost around 10 inches (25.40 centimeters) tall, while the largest can be one with blooms nearly 4 feet (1.21 meters) tall.
Some bloom in May, others bloom in July, with flowers continuing for about three weeks (depending on weather from year to year). If a few different astilbes are used, it expands the flowering window.
You can cut the flowers for another arrangement, they should last about a week in a vase. They dry nicely as well, just be aware that they will not rebloom once cut until the next season.
6. Lily
Some varieties:
- Lilium asiatic ‘Happy Ice’
- Lilium regale ‘Album’
Martagon, Asiatic, and oriental hybrids are just three of the many types of lily. Suffice it to say there are a lot of lilies, thousands of them.
You need well-draining soil to plant lilies. They do not take up much real estate in the garden but need plenty of sun for their foliage. Some tall types can grow up to 6 feet (1.82 meters) and may require staking or other support.
All lilies are lovely, and most have scented blooms to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees.
When they bloom depends on the variety. Some bloom in early to midsummer and others wait until August.
L. Asiatic ‘Happy Ice,’ a border lily, is medium height and is perfect for dressing borders or pots. It grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 -8 and is 14-18 inches tall (35.56-45.72 centimeters).
L. regale ‘Album’ is regal lily type, reaches 6 feet (1.82 meters), with as many as 25 trumpet-shaped blooms per stem. It blooms early in the season.
Each plant will bloom for 2-3 weeks. If you choose a few varieties that bloom at different times, you can have plants blooming all summer along a staggered planting.
7. Rose
Some varieties:
- Rosa ‘Iceberg’
- Rosa ‘City of York’
For many, roses are the classic garden flower. Beautiful, fragrant, and they have so much history – it’s hard to not love roses. They also carry more than a bit of a reputation for being difficult.
While some ideas you might have held about growing roses are not altogether unfounded, you have to remember that roses have also been growing for quite a while. In fact, there are thousands of roses, some very easy roses and some not so easy.
Almost all roses can be grown in the zones 6, 7, and 8. There are some adapted to slightly warmer and slightly colder climates.
Roses need lots of sun, rich and nutritious soil, and consistent watering to be their best.
Some roses will bloom continuously from the end of May until early autumn, while others will bloom one time during the season, and bloom for whatever time blooms last.
Rosa ‘Iceberg’ is a floribunda rose. It’s a shrub that matures to 3 feet (0.91 m) and produces a spectacular show of flowers from May to autumn. However, there is little scent from the flowers.
Rosa ‘City of York’ is a hardy climbing rose that is fragrant and freely flowering at maturity to about 15 feet. It flowers once from June to July.
8. Hosta
Some varieties:
- Hosta undulata ‘White Feather’
- Hosta plantaginea ‘Aphrodite’
- Hosta plantaginea ‘Venus’
Hostas are a fantastic perennial addition to so many different spaces, but are typically added to landscapes because of their lushness and beauty of their variegated leaves.
That said, hostas are not just a foliage plant! Hosta flowers can provide a great display and by selecting a variety of hosta cultivations, you can have a hosta in flower from May until the end of the season.
The two varieties of Hostas: H. plantaginea I am recommending are blooming later into the summer and their flowers actually open later in the day (rather than the morning which is typical). These hostas tend to thrive in at least partial sun and can even be grown in full sun.
H. undulata is included here because they are an unusual design with unusual white leaves. A small compact plant, the foliage of the ‘White Feather’ hosta emerges creamy white in color and then tends to green more by the end of summer.
9. Peony
Some varieties:
- Peony lactiflora ‘Petite Porcelain’
- Peony lactiflora ‘Duchess of Nemours’
Scented peonies make for stunning, endearing, sun-loving perennials. Peonies grow in USDA hardiness zone 3-8 and prefer rich, well-drained soil to grow in.
The blooms last 7-10 days, so they’re a relatively short-lived flowering season.
Honestly, peony plants can be a bit finicky to get established. One of my friends waited five years before getting one of her favorites to bloom in her home garden.
So why am I including peony on this list?
Because they’re absolutely stunning.
If you plant a multitude of varieties, you can extend the window for bloom. Depending on where you are gardening, early-season peonies will bloom in May, mid-season in June, and late-season in July.
While they look delicate, peonies will need physical support to help with standing upright. Grow through supports are best. Place them in early spring when the foliage emerges so it can grow through.
Try not to plant the crown of the plant deeper than two inches (5.08 centimeters) deep if you want flowers and plenty of foliage. White peonies are often among one of the most fragrant peonies!
10. Delphinium
Some varieties:
- Delphinium elatum ‘Guardian White’
- Delphinium elatum ‘Magic Fountains Pure White’
- Delphinium elatum ‘Aurora White’
When you think of a cottage garden, nothing brings that image to mind more readily than a grouping of delphinium plants. The tall, showy spikes with numerous flowers on each stem that define stunning.
Delphiniums like full sun, rich soil, and good drainage. They are fairly hardy and will thrive in USDA hardiness zones 3-8.
Delphiniums can reach an average height of 5 feet (1.52 meters) and half again that tall when fully grown, meaning they require shelter from wind and storms as well as support. Plant them next to walls or fences, or stake them if necessary.
Most bloom in June or July, for several weeks. If you deadhead to remove the flowers once they are finished blooming, you will often get a second round of blooms later in the summer.
Delphiniums are commonly called larkspur. Delphiniums and larkspur are easily confused since they are botanical cousins and look quite similar. Most delphiniums are perennial, while most larkspur are annual.