List of the Best White Flowers for Your Garden

by Matt Gibson

Want to plant white flowers in your garden this growing season? Good idea. The color white is an all around positive color. It is associated with purity, cleanliness, faith, virginity, innocence, spirituality, light, brilliance, purity, and understanding. In popular media, white is the stereotypical color of the good guy who wages war with the bad guy in black. Angels are often depicted in white, as are brides and religious figures, such as Jesus. The color white promotes clarity, helps remove mental clutter, encourages new beginnings, and aids in cleansing and purification. In the garden, white flowers are a perfect fit wherever they are placed, as they pair perfectly with every color in the spectrum.

We’ve picked a list of the best white flowers to put in your garden, including each of their preferred growing conditions, as well as a few tips to assist you in giving these white bloomed beauties the best opportunity to thrive. White flowers, like yellow flowers, could serve as a base for your garden’s floral fixtures, the perfect compliment for sprinkling in patches of other, vibrant color choices. Alternatively, white could be the only color you select when picking out flowers. Either way, a garden chock full of white blooms is going to stand out, demand attention, illuminate the area and look really good while doing so.

Did we miss any of your favorite white flowers that you like to grow? Leave a comment and tell us.

Jasmine

Jasmine (Jasminum) is not commonly grown as a decorative flower, but you wouldn’t know that by looking at its small, dainty, bright white blooms. Each bloom is adorned with five thin petals and a yellow center.

Jasmine blooms grow on a vine, so it works really well if planted near a fence and allowed to grow freely. The blooms give off a strong and wonderful scent that attracts birds, bees, and butterflies to your garden sanctuary. Provide ample shade and support and jasmine will flourish.

Jasmine prefers partial shade and well-drained soil and thrives in zones 7-10

White Camellia

White Camellia (Theaceae) is a shrub that blooms a brilliant white blossom in the winter time that grows to be 2-5 inches wide. Camellia requires regular watering during the first year and a temperate climate, such as the southern US. If your garden can meet these qualifications, you will not be disappointed with the camellia. Add a nice layer of mulch to the topsoil where you plant camellias to keep the roots cool during warmer months.

Camellia prefers moist, well-drained soil and partial shade and does best in zones 7-9

Lily of the Valley

The lily of the valley is a unique looking flower. Big bright green leaves fully surround tiny white bell shaped blooms. This versatile plant typically loves a wet, sunny environment but will adapt to a dry shady environment if necessary and is very low maintenance. You really cannot go wrong. Cultivated primarily for use in the perfume industry, this fragrant flower attracts a whole host of pollinators, including birds, butterflies, bees and more.

The Lily of the Valley enjoys moist, well-drained soil and partial shade to full sunlight and thrives in a surprisingly wide zone range, from 2-9.

Trumpet Flower

Trumpet Flower (Datura) opens at dusk and closes at dawn. Because of its similarity in appearance to Nightshade and Mandrake, the trumpet flower never received the popularity it deserves. This large climbing vine produces bright vibrant trumpet shaped blooms that attract hummingbirds and butterflies because of its luxurious aromatics. The plant can become droopy without adequate moisture, but with regular watering and full exposure to the sun, the trumpet flower displays its magnificence brilliantly.

Datura prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil and is partial to zones 4-10.

Vinca

Also known as periwinkle, or myrtle, vinca is the perfect flower for gardens in arid climates due to its drought tolerance. It requires very little maintenance and should only be watered during droughts. The blooms are small, simple and elegant, and they produce from summer until first frost.

Vinca is also commonly available in red and pink, but the white myrtle flowers draw attention and tend to look the best of the three varieties. Vinca flowers stand for friendship and loyalty.

Vinca flowers thrive in zones 4-9 in well-drained soil and partial shade.

Amaryllis

The bloom of the Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) flower is a natural born show-stopper. Its large trumpet-like blooms have white shoots with yellow buds at the end, spurting out of the middle and a hint of lime colors the center of the bloom where the shoots emerge. Available in both single and double forms, the amaryllis bloom sits atop a tall green stem and symbolizes beauty, purity, and innocence.

Plant amaryllis in full sunlight and provide well drained soil. Amaryllis does best in zones 9-11

Waterlily

If your garden has a pool or a small pond, adding a few floating waterlilies is a no brainer. These aquatic flowers are massive and absolutely gorgeous. They may appear delicate, but waterlilies are actually quite resilient. When placing in their new homes, be sure to shear off thick roots and old leaves so that new ones can grow in their places. Plant the tuber up against the edge of the pool or pond and point the growing tip upwards toward the sun. Do not allow the pond or pool that your waterlilies reside in to become stagnant, as that could lead to several different health issues and attract mosquitos and other garden pests.

Waterlilies love full sunlight and must be partially submerged in a body of water to survive. They have no zoning preferences and will thrive in zones 1-11.

The seven flowers featured in this list are all showstoppers. Not only do they grab the eye, but they lure you in for a long and ponderous gaze. Their glorious white blooms bring about a state of tranquility and serenity. What more could one ask for from their floral companions?

Did we miss one of your favorite white flowers on our list? Tell us which one in the comments!