Think I should take the red out? I thought it would give a little daytime interest, and of course I love the hummingbirds that come to it, but as I look at the picture above, I see my eye is drawn to the red, if I put my finger over the red, it looks whiter. Any thoughts?

Hi JustJoeyGirl,
Your white garden is beautiful! I was just looking at your first pic and thinking, "Wow, that little bit of red looks so good, what a smart idea to add just a splash of bright color," before I scrolled down to see your second post.... So I love the red. For me all-white gardens can often look a bit TOO subtle, and a little bit of this or that livens it up and you still retain the overall effect of white. I think it looks great and I'd love to see a bigger picture. I also love the way you've shaped and positioned it--and it looks like it's easier to tend, too, since you can get to both sides. Post a bigger pic and tell us exactly what plants you've got in there!

I can't see anything! What happened?

I was wondering about adding blue to mine next year. This year I planted Forget Me Not and blue cornflowers and really liked the color. I'll have to look what other plants have that shade of blue.

I think Photobucket is down, hopefully the picture will pop back up when they are up again. When it's back up, I'll put in a picture from my white garden with the blue next to some of them, it's a really nice combination, I'd say go for it.

I have a few photos of blue and white, I'll have to go through them..here's a couple I already have posted in Photobucket. The colors work well off each other.

Now I see it. Looks lovely. Do you use anything to edge the garden or did you just dig out the grass and mulch?

I like the blue a lot. I wintersowed Blue Himalayan Poppies but they never came up. I've heard they're a bit difficult.

Hi JayCo, thanks. I wasn't sure. In person it doesn't take away, I just noticed it in the photo. I'll try to get a larger one, it is hard to get close due to the size of the garden.

Thanks, blackcat, I like the blue and white together too. I thought of the Himalayan Poppies too, but so many people told me that they wouldn't grow, I just never tried. They are beautiful aren't they?

Yes, I just dug out the grass a few years back, before it was a white garden, and I mulch it with timber black mulch. I started mulching very late in the season for this garden because I STILL HAVE BULB FOLIAGE...it just doesn't want to go away. I have two bayberry shrubs in there (I thought the blue berries would be nice, and I love the smell of the foliage. I put them in before the white theme too). I thought about taking them out because there is just too much green in the island with them. This year I have moonflower vines growing up through and over them..the vines outgrew the shrubs already. I have a leader heading them into the lilac on the bush close to that. I'm not sure what I'll do with the one that isn't near anything to lead it onto. I may lead it back down and up the other side of the shrub. I'm always looking for suggestions. Thanks.

I snapped a shot this evening, still tough to get close and get the whole thing in. I tried.

It looks absolutely gorgeous, you are so talented! It's a little late in the season to start something like this now, do you think? It's definitely an inspiration for next year though. I think I need a new project!

What a stunning garden! Thanks so much for sharing the pictures with us.

Jessica

That must be great with a full moon! When is the next one? Keep your camera handy!

I will have to check out when the next full moon is, any idea? I am waiting for the moonflower vines to get buds, this is the first time I am growing them, I can hardly wait, the vines are about 10 feet tall already with lots of branching..I hear the flowers are 5" in diameter and are fragrant. I hate to see the asiatics finish, but I am looking forward to the orientals, the Peruvian daffodils, and the tuberose. The annuals keep it going between major drifts of white from the perennials and shrubs.. The butterfly bush was slow to start, the dahlias are there, but no buds yet, and the clethra (which smells great) is showing some buds. The hummingbirds visit it all day long.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Giniene, It may be late to get some perennials in the ground and have them flower, but if you wanted to, you may be able to work with a few annuals..they make nice groupings by themselves..I find some of the nurseries sell off their remaining annuals around this time of year. I haven't been to the nurseries lately to tell who has what, but usually this is the time of year they have clearance sales.. I usually wind up getting a full flat for 5 dollars or less, and sometimes they have one gallon perennials for $3. (Four Seasons (it may be Pennings now) in Salisbury Mills) I have seen they are closing the 17, so this may be the week they have their clearance sale. I just haven't had a chance to get over there.

Thanks very much for the tip JustJoey. Your pictures are just so beautiful! I was going to start doing something this week-end but got an invite last night to join friends on a boat in the Hudson for the week-end. Rough decision, but my hubby would kill me for saying no!

What a beautiful weekend, I'd pick the boat too, have fun!

Since I am posting this in another forum, I thought I'd drop in the latest bloomer. This is the first time I planted this. I like it, and I think I will do more in a larger group next year.

That is beautiful, what is it? I would definitely plant more next time if I were you. I picked up a white ball dwarf butterfly bush and 2 white phlox this weekend when I came back from the boat week-end. You're right, Justjoey, not much to choose from right now, but I figured I can start since I found a few things. The boat was great, by the way!

Sounded like it would be nice. That's kinda how I started, I'd pick up a few things here and there..last fall I did a lot of bulbs.. The picture above is a Peruvian Daffodil, it is a bulb I planted in the spring. It is not hardy here, so I'll have to dig it up in the fall. I think I got if from Brent and Becky's, I'm not sure. It has such a nice sweet fragrance too! I like phlox..I have both David and Miss Lingard, I think I prefer the David. The one in my white garden has lots of buds, and it had gotten quite tall, so I'll have to move it to the back nex spring. It blocks a few shorter plants. I've never heard of a white ball butterfly bush..sounds cool. I have White Bouquet, it was very slow starting this spring, right now it is just making it's headway out from all the cleome that reseeded and took over. Nice to see you are on your way..it's a fun trip..enjoy!

I haven't gotten to planting bulbs in the spring yet only in the fall. Since I'm still pretty new at gardening, I'm still in the "it's spring, I want instant gratification" mode! For 2 years, I've been trying to get creeping phlox. My sister has sent me pictures and it looks gorgeous. I can just never goet it at the right time. I first ordered it from one of the catalogs, it came bare root, I planted it and 3 months later, it was still bare root. Needless to say, impatient me, I dug it up, tossed it out and planted something else in it's place! That white ball butterfly bush is also called Buddleia x "White Ball". It looks pretty from the little info paper that came with it. I went to Plant Depot in Fishkill/Wappingers on Sunday afternoon, they really didn't have much left at all. Like you said, it's a start!

I am reviving a perennial bed. I have decided to go with an all white color scheme. I've read this thread and conclude several gardeners have had good results. I'm wondering whether anyone has tried a moon garden and been disappointed by the decision?

My only disappointment is that it isn't in the direct moon light, the path of the moon is blocked by the canopy of overhead trees. The area gets almost full sun all day. I didn't realize when I planted it, that it wouldn't get 'full' moon. I absolutely love mine. I don't think I would if I didn't have color everywhere else. It does take a little getting used to..sometimes the plants all kind of meld together when they are all white. For instance the cleome right now are blending in with the phlox David..they are at the same height. The coneflowers are a little lost in the mix.. In a 'regular' garden, the colors play off of each other and add some contrast, and interest. In a white garden, you can do that with foliage, or adding a small splash of a bright color to punctuate it during the day. The allure, for me, is in the evening just after dusk..here around 8:45 to 9 pm. Also sometimes in the afternoon as the sun is starting to set, it glows with the sun behind it. Good luck, and have fun..JoAnn

Beautiful garden. I have been contemplating an all white garden and I think you have just inspired me to go for it. Thanks..

Here is a link that might be useful: Our pond and gardens

Wow...go for it.. Your pictures are wonderful, you have a lovely pond and garden. Is it a lot of work to take care of all the fish? We are thinking of putting in a water feature, but not quite as big and beautiful as yours. I can't imagine being able to do that. Thank you for sharing the pictures...good luck with your white garden, I'm sure it will be great, they are a lot of fun.. JoAnn.

I havent posted any pictures over the summer here, so I thought I pop a few in, the white garden is going strong this time of year. I am not having much luck with the moonflowers. The buds seem to be dropping off the vine before they flower, I am guessing the weather has been off. There are still plenty of buds, so I'm hoping I'll get a few flowers. So here's a few of the flowers that are blooming now. There are still plenty of annuals going now too. I am waiting for the anemone to bloom with the boltonia and the mums. Enjoy.

My moonflower vine finally bloomed the other day, and I got to take a picture of my first one as it was opening. I took a series of photos as it was opening. The whole process of opening took about an hour and by mid morning the next day it was gone. IT is stunning in person, and the fragrance is beautiful. It has an iredescent (sp?) shine to the bloom, it looks and feels like satin.

Today I noticed another bud about ready to open, but with the downpours, I decided not to go out and watch this one. Now I am sorry. I was walking my dog, and went by the white garden to see the flower (yes, in the heavy rain) and to my surprise, it had a different form than the one the other day. It was more starlike and had actual petals..but they were folded in from the rain, so I have no idea what that one looks like. I will have to wait until another bud opens on that vine. I bought a pot with three vines in it at Roe's Orchards in the spring, for $1.50. I had no idea they were different kinds. (Unless this was just an abberant flower..I won't know until the next one opens on that vine.) It was definately worth the $1.50....I hope to plant many more moonflowers now that I see how beautiful they are, and how wonderful their scent is. They are quite big..about 6 - 9 inches across. The only drawback is you need to wait until late August/early September for flowers, but vines are beautiful in themselves, large green heartshaped leaves. Here's a photo of my first one fully opened:

What a wonderful garden! I am just starting mine, yours is such an insperation.

Thank you, I love it. It has been my inspiration this year. I love the challenge of finding white flowers and foliage for my garden. I love the way it looks. I don't think if I could have only one garden it would be a white one, but since I can have many, I love this one! My anemone Honerine Jobert just bloomed, I have to try and take a photo of it this evening. Good luck with yours.. JoAnn

Here's some of the latest pictures from the white garden. The dahlias chrysanthemums and moonflowers continue to do well, and the annuals are really carrying it. Here is the anemone, boltonia and sedum Frosty Morn that stand out among the perennials. The season is starting to wind down, I have had a good season with flowers from March onward in this garden. I will make some changes to it next year. I've purchased more spring bulbs to add in, and I'll move a few things around. The moonflower vines took over, so I'll have to come up with another plan for them.

What's blooming in your gardens now that it is almost October?

Everything looks beautiful JoAnn! The annuals are doing great over here, hibiscus looks good, roses are still growing like weeds. I plan to get some mums today. Strangest thing, I mentioned it in another post, all of a sudden columbine is blooming again! I'm certainly not complaining!

Wow, a columbine..I don't even see my columbine plants, they are mostly all dormant now. How cool. I've never heard of the them blooming now. I have a spring anemone blooming now too. I thought it was because I just planted them this spring and they had their seasons mixed up. That must have been a nice surprise!