10 Essential Plants For A White Garden In Brisbane
What would you rather in a garden: Wild colour or white flowers?
A lot of people would say they prefer the simplicity of a white garden over bold colour, or even any colour at all.
A white garden can feel soothing and calming and can also feel cooler as well. It can lighten up a shady area, and white is more visible at night and can be used to create what’s known as a ‘moon’ garden for those who want to enjoy their gardens in the evening. A white border along an entrance path could help to light it at night and it looks crisp and clean.
When combined with other colours, white can give your eyes a rest in an otherwise colourful garden.
Here are ten plants for a white garden in Brisbane.
The beautiful saucer shaped flowers of the Magnolia - a superb feature tree.
Magnolia. Both Magnolia ‘Teddy Bear’ and Magnolia ‘Little Gem’ are great options for the suburban backyard. They are compact, small sized trees and will grow to around 4m x 3m. They are a lovely shape and have a large saucer shaped flower. They are evergreen and make a wonderful feature tree.
Star Jasmine.
Star Jasmine. This classic climbing plant is everyone’s favourite. It’s highly fragrant and will flower over Spring and Summer with star shaped white flowers against glossy dark green leaves. If you’re looking for something to cover a trellis or arbour, this will do the job perfectly. Jasmine loves full sun or shade, so plant it where you can enjoy the scent.
Carissa ‘Desert Star’. A hardy shrub requiring little maintenance.
Carissa ‘Desert Star’ or Natal Plum as it’s commonly known. This is a very hardy, but very attractive shrub. Dark glossy green leaves set the white flowers off perfectly and requires very little maintenance. It will get to about 1m x 1m and can be hedged. The flowers have a perfume and are followed by edible red fruits.
Crepe Myrtle ‘Natchez’. Image: Pinterest
Crepe Myrtle. This is such a wonderful flowering tree! It’s deciduous, meaning it loses it’s leaves in winter, but don’t let that put you off! Enjoy the autumn leaf colour and the interesting bark on this tree. It thrives in hot weather, so does well in Australia and flowers heavily throughout summer. Crepe Myrtles come in a range of colours and sizes. The white ‘Natchez’ will grow to 6-8m tall, but if that’s too large, there is also the ‘Acoma’ which will grow to around 3-4m. It also has a gently weeping habit and will fit in with lots of garden styles. Image via Pinterest
Gardenia. Image: Pinterest
Gardenia. Gardenias are a classic that have never gone out of style and look set to remain in fashion. Choose from ground covers to small shrubs, larger shrubs, trees and even native gardenias! Highly fragrant flowers and glossy green leaves, they do well in a subtropical environment and like a sunny spot but with some shade to give them a break from the heat.
Native ground cover Creeping Boobialla.
Creeping Boobialla. This native ground cover has got it all! It’s fast growing, low maintenance, fire retardant and drought hardy AND helps to control weeds. Evergreen and a tough little plant, it loves full sun and will trail down an embankment. There is both a broad leaf and a fine leaf version which can look good mixed in together and it also comes in purple, should you need a break from the white.
White agapanthus work in a variety of situations.
Agapanthus, or Lily of the Nile, as it is commonly known is such a versatile plant. It can be used in so many different ways: as a border along a path to help light your way at night, as a ground cover on a bank, or for that tricky area where the soil is poor and nothing else will grow. Attractive as well as tough and low maintenance, it can be used in both formal and informal settings and comes in a range of sizes from dwarf sizes at 25cm tall to the giant at 1.5m.
Plumbago forms a loose hedge in this garden. Image: Pinterest
Plumbago. You might be familiar with this blue flowering shrub, but did you know that it also comes in white? A handy shrub for borders and good for around pools too. It will cope with poor soils, full sun and can be used for exposed sites, is tough and low maintenance, yet has a lovely informal but full look about it. That said, it can be grown as a hedge as well.
Michelia ‘Coco’. Highly fragrant.
Port Wine Magnolia is known for its scent that some say smells like port wine, others say bananas or bubblegum. It does well in Brisbane’s subtropical climate and looks good in a pot, as a feature plant, as a hedge (it will get to about 3m high) – it’s versatile and will work well in formal and informal gardens. It has bright green leaves that form a dense habit and white flowers that are tinged with burgundy. There are a number of different cultivars, all equally as lovely. I love ‘Coco’, ‘Fairy white’ and ‘White Caviar’.
Cat’s Whiskers - named for the ‘whiskers’ on the flowers.
Cats Whiskers is another subtropical favourite with flowers that look like whiskers. Fast growing with dark green leaves and white flowers that have ‘whiskers’ in spring / summer. Looks best in shady areas but will cope with full sun. Plant on mass for best effect. This plant also comes in purple and the stem has a purple tinge to it.
If you’re looking for soothing tones and want to create a quiet garden sanctuary, consider some of these options when you’re next at the nursery.
If you’d like to know more or need help to create a white garden, get in touch today.
Follow us on social media: