My pal Kathy, who recently painted her house a charming schoolhouse burgundy-red with white trim, is thinking about planting all white flowers. But wascally wabbits mow down everything she’s planted in front—except marigolds.
She does not like marigolds.
Are there any flowers besides marigolds that wabbits will not eat? They have even eaten daisies in my lamppost flowerbox. I just don’t like marigolds, but they’re better than a bare box. And what would you think if I put all white flowers in front of the house (windowboxes and pots on the steps, full sun). Too much? I don’t know if those hydrangeas I planted last year will bloom, but it would fit in.
I think all white flowers would be lovely.
The late garden designer Vita Sackville-West popularized white gardens after she designed the famous one at Sissinghurst Castle in England, beginning in 1950.
White gardens (which can include silver-leafed plants) shine in late afternoon and evenings; they can appear a bit washed out in the bright heat of midday.
Try these white annuals for sun that bunnies may not munch:
Alyssum
Ageratum (you often see purple-blue, but there’s a white version)
Dusty miller (Senecio cineraria) which has silver foliage
‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia (a Proven Winners plant)
Toss in some perennial lamb’s ears (Stachys) with silver leaves.
And … if see if you can find a very fine-textured annual grass called ‘Wind Dancer’ eragrostis. I planted ‘Wind Dancer’ with ‘Diamond Frost’ (I think 3 of each) in a large container last year. The interesting interplay between the slender spears of grass and the feathery white of the euphorbia made a happy combination.
This fall, plant some white peonies; once the blooms are gone, the foliage adds beautiful structure to the border all summer long.
'Diamond Frost' euphorbia/Photo by Deb Wiley
'Snow Princess' trailing alyssum; great for over edges of containers/Photo copyright Deb Wiley
