Add These Pretty White Flowers to Your Garden for a Beautiful Display
White flowers are so classic! Whether you have a cottage garden or a formal space, white flowers add an ethereal feel to any garden setting. White flowers also glow subtly in the evening, making your outdoor space seem more magical and luminous after dark.
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Many white flowers are annuals, which bloom for one season. But there are also perennials, which return for many years, and shrubs that add structure, texture and interest to garden beds. (Unsure of what makes a plant an annual or perennial? Read our explainer.) Plus, many white flowers are easy to grow so you won't have to fuss over them.
The most important thing to remember is that, when choosing perennials and shrubs, make sure to buy those that will survive winters in your USDA Hardiness zone (Find your zone here. Note that the USDA zones have been recently updated.)
After all, there's no sense spending money on plants that aren't going to handle the weather conditions where you live.
Also, make sure to plant your white flowers where they receive the correct amount of light. Full sun means the plant needs 6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day, while part sun is about half that. Full shade means a plant doesn't like any direct sunlight. Don't try to cheat! Sun lovers won't bloom well in the shade, and shade lovers will fry in the hot sun.
Looking for other colors of flowers to plant?
Chamomile
These sunny-faced daisy-like flowers come in both annual (German chamomile) and perennial (Roman chamomile) varieties. Both are low-growing, low-maintenance flowers that add plenty of charm along walkways and in rock gardens.
Type: Annual or perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 9
Light: Full sun
Related: How to Grow Chamomile In Your Garden
Hellebore
Hellebore, or Lenten rose, is one of the most exquisite flowers you can grow in your perennial garden. Their delicate blooms are tough-as-nails, popping up in late winter to early spring, often around the time of Lent, giving them their common name.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 9
Light: Part shade
Related: 20 Winter Flowers That Add Life to a Snowy Garden or Landscape
Cosmos
Cosmos come in an array of shades, but the white variety, with their papery blooms, are especially appealing. Plant them in masses for best effect. They grow easily from seed so they're ideal in a cutting garden.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun
Related: How to Design and Grow an At-Home Cutting Garden
Fringe Tree
The fringe-like flowers on this pretty tree have a sweet fragrance. The upright branches and full form make it an eye-catching specimen tree.
Type: Tree or large shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 9
Light: Full sun
Related: 11 White Flowering Trees to Plant in Your Yard
Magnolia
There are many different types of magnolias, but they all have large, lovely blooms that appear in late spring. If you look in a chilly climate, look for star magnolias, which are more cold-hardy.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 10
Light: Full sun
Related: How to Grow Magnolias
Anemone
Anemone flowers boast ethereal blooms atop long wiry stems. This perennial blooms in late summer when much of the rest of your garden is winding down for the year.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 8
Light: Full sun
Chrysanthemum
This classic autumn flower is often found in autumnal shades of pumpkin orange, rusty red, and deepest burgundy. But you'll also find them in pure or creamy white.
They're technically perennials, if you plant them early enough in the season so they can set down roots. Otherwise, treat them as annuals and replant again next year.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 9, though often treated as annuals
Light: Full sun
Related: Are Mums Perennials? Here's What to Know
Moon Flower
A relative of morning glories, moon flower blooms at night, as you'd guess from its name. It supports nighttime pollinators such as moths. Give it a trellis to climb.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun
Related: 20 Best Flowering Vines to Add Vertical Interest
Lily
Lilies come in a ton of different varieties, and many will keep multiplying year after year. Found in every color of the rainbow, they're also available in shades of creamy to pure white.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 9
Light: Full sun
Related: How to Care for Gorgeous Easter Lilies
Lily of the Valley Shrub
Need some early season color? Like its namesake, these shrubs have showy clusters of bell-shaped flowers that dangle from the arching branches in late winter to early spring.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 8
Light: Full shade to part sun
Related: The 20 Best Drought Tolerant Shrubs
Shrub Rose
Your garden needs at least one rose bush! New shrub or landscape types are more cold-hardy and disease-resistant, and they bloom all summer, well into fall.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 10
Light: Full sun
Related: How to Grow and Care for Knock Out Roses
Begonia
Begonias are sturdy and easy to grow, blooming from spring to first frost. You also won't have to cut off the spent blooms to keep them blooming.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun to part shade, depending on the variety
Butterfly Bush
These shrubs attract tons of pollinators, so you'll enjoy blooms and butterflies all at once! This plant ranges in size from two to eight feet tall, so read the label. New varieties are more compact and are not invasive.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 9
Light: Full sun
Related: How to Make a Pollinator Garden That Actually Works
Dahlia
Dahlias have the most glorious blooms, ranging from tiny bon-bon size to dinner plate-sized flowers.
Plant the tubers in the fall in warm climates or in the spring in cold climates for blooms from mid-summer to first frost. Technically, they're perennials, but only in warmer climates. Otherwise, you'll need to dig up the tubers after the first frost to save and replant next spring.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 8 to 11; annual in cold climates
Light: Full sun
Related: Tips for Growing Gorgeous Dahlias
Hardy Hibiscus
Hibiscus add a tropical flair to any garden, but many types are winter-hardy, even in cold climates. Read the plant tag to make sure you're buying one that can handle your winters.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 9
Light: Full sun
Related: How to Grow and Care for Hardy Hibiscus
Dianthus
Dianthus, also known as pinks because their edges look as if they had been trimmed by pinking shears, are low-growing perennials that add beauty to landscape beds. Some are sweetly-scented, too.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 8
Light: Full to part sun
Japanese Snowbell
This lesser-known ornamental tree is gorgeous! With darling bell-shaped blooms in spring and hundreds of fragrant flowers, this distinctive tree will definitely make a statement in any garden.
Type: Tree, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 8
Light: Full sun
Clematis
This woody vine has the prettiest flowers in late spring to early summer, depending on the variety. They come in every color imaginable, including white.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 8
Light: Full sun
Candytuft
Glossy evergreen foliage and mounds of white flowers in spring make this perennial a great addition to landscape beds. Pollinators love it, too.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 9
Light: Full sun
Serviceberry
This lesser-known ornamental tree has tons of white blooms in spring, followed by gorgeous blue-red berries which you can use to make jam (if you can beat the birds to them, that is!).
Type: Tree or large bush, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 9
Light: Full sun
Scabiosa
Also known as pincushion flower, this charming perennial flowers in its first year. The plants typically live for about three years before needing to be replanted, though many types self-sow, with new plants popping up in subsequent seasons.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 7
Light: Full sun to part shade
Foxglove
Foxgloves are classic cottage garden plants with tall, stately spikes of flowers. It's considered a short-lived perennial in most places.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 8
Light: Full sun to part shade
Tulip
Tulips bloom in every color imaginable, though the white ones are particularly eye-catching. Plant the bulbs in fall for spring blooms. Most tulips do not re-bloom well, so treat them as annuals and replant every year.
Type: Perennial, though treated as annuals
Light: Full sun
Iris
Irises make a statement in the spring garden with their tall stalks and multiple blooms. They're available in many different varieties and so many colors, but white—often with a tinge of purple—are especially lovely.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 9
Light: Full sun
Related: How to Grow Irises
Spirea
Spirea's springtime show makes it worthwhile to grow this sturdy shrub. Give it plenty of room so you can enjoy its arching habit.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 9
Light: Full sun
Snowdrop
The tiny nodding heads of snowdrops are a welcome sight in the late winter and early spring garden. They'll pop up even before the snow has melted!
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 7
Light: Full sun
Rose of Sharon
One of the last flowering shrubs to show off in the garden, the profuse blooms of rose of Sharon appear in late summer. They're a beautiful shrub to add color into early fall.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 9
Light: Full sun
Calibrachoa
Similar in appearance to petunia, this annual is also called million bells, due to its profusion of trumpet-shaped flowers. It's amazing in hanging baskets and window boxes.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun
Lily of the Valley
Lily of the valley boasts tiny bell-shaped flowers with a sweet scent. This perennial has a tendency to take over, however, so plant it where its growth will be contained, such as between the house and sidewalk.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 9
Light: Part sun to full shade
Related: The Special Symbolism Behind the Queen's Favorite Flower, Lily of the Valley
Vinca
This annual blooms from early spring to the first hard frost. It's a great filler for adding non-stop color to beds and containers.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun
Camellia
With glossy foliage and showy flowers, camellias are a natural in Southern gardens. Give them rich soil or feed them regularly for best blooms.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 7 to 9
Light: Part sun
Redbud
Redbuds are one of the earliest small trees to bloom in spring, long before they ever get their handsome heart-shaped leaves. Of course, they're often red or pink, but the white varieties are just as pretty.
Type: Tree, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 9
Light: Full sun to part shade
Crape Myrtle
Crape myrtle is a handsome shrub or small tree that blooms and blooms and blooms all summer long. They come in every color you like, including white.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 7 to 10
Light: Full sun
Related: The 16 Best Dwarf Trees Under 10 Feet Tall for Your Yard
Delphinium
Delphiniums are ideal in a cottage garden with their tall spikes of elegant-looking flowers. They're considered short-lived perennials.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 7
Light: Full sun with afternoon shade
Impatiens
Impatiens are a staple of any summer garden because they're reliable and long-lasting. Many types prefer full shade, so they brighten up dark corners of the garden. New Guinea impatiens, however, tolerate full sun. Read the plant tag to be sure about what type you're buying.
Type:Annual
Light: Full sun to full shade, depending on the variety
Lilac
Of course, you know lilacs as those old-fashioned shrubs that bloom in the spring with a sweet fragrance. But white lilacs are just as scented and quite lovely, too.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 7
Light: Full sun
Star Jasmine
Star jasmine is a lovely climbing vine that adores hot weather. Its intoxicating scent makes it a wonderful addition to the garden. Give it a trellis to climb.
Type: Perennial vine, USDA Hardiness zones 8 to 11
Light: Full to part sun
Baby's Breath
Baby's breath boasts a cloud of teeny white flowers in the summer garden. It makes both a lovely cut or dried flower in arrangements.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 8
Light: Full sun
English Primrose
The cheerful blooms of primrose are some of the first to appear in the spring. They bloom for weeks and are resistant to most digging rodents, who tend to leave these blooms alone.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 8
Light: Full sun
Dogwood
Dogwoods have beautiful pure white to creamy white blooms. They're a lovely tree or small shrub to add springtime color to your garden.
Type: Shrub
Light: Part sun
Related: 11 Types of Dogwood Trees and Shrubs For Your Garden
Sweet Alyssum
Pollinators adore the tiny blooms of sweet alyssum; you'll love the honey-sweet scent. This annual looks lovely cascading from containers, window boxes, and hanging baskets, or tucked into a rock garden as a flowering ground cover. They'll even survive a light frost.
Type: Annual
Light: Full to part sun
Related: 22 Best Annual Flowers and Plants That Will Make Your Gardens Glow
Shasta Daisy
What's sunnier than the bright, happy faces of daisies? These perennials are hardy souls, and they offer weeks and weeks of summer color. Pollinators love them! They need full sun.
Type: Perennial, USDA zones 5 to 9
Light: Full sun
Related: 27 Flowering Perennials and Plants For Your Garden
Lobelia
Cascading blooms of this annual will fill your planter in cool weather; newer types tolerate more heat, but still don’t bloom best when nighttime temps stay in the 70s. Trim them up in hot weather, and they’ll revive when things cool down.
Type: Annual
Light: Part sun to full shade
Related: 26 Best Shade Annuals for Your Garden
Azalea
Azaleas are a sure sign that spring has arrived. Many new varieties of this shrub are more cold-tolerant, so you can grow them farther north.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 9
Light: Full to part sun
Related: 20 Flowering Shrubs for Every Type of Garden
Peony
So many peonies, so little time! This shrubby perennial plant with glossy, dark green foliage has lush scented flowers that rule all the others in the garden in May and early June. The ants which visit the flowers aren’t pests; they’re sipping the nectar.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 8
Light: Full sun
Related: 26 Full Sun Perennials for Your Garden
Nemesia
Tons of teeny flowers that resemble baby snapdragons flourish from spring to fall without deadheading, or removing spent blooms. This annual tends to do better in pots, though it will tolerate well-drained soils in the garden or in raised beds.
Type: Annual
Light: Part sun to full sun (in cooler climates)
Related: How to Deadhead Flowers (And Why It's Necessary)
Fan Flower
These annuals are totally low-maintenance garden plants because they bloom all summer with zero effort from you. Their trailing habit makes them a natural for baskets and window boxes.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun
Related: 15 Easiest-to-Grow Flowers for Blooms All Season
Petunia
Old varieties of this annual required deadheading to keep blooming, but new hybrids bloom all season without any fussing on your part. Trailing or double varieties are especially lovely in window boxes and hanging baskets.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun
Gardenia
Glossy green leaves and creamy white flowers highlight this pretty, old-fashioned garden favorite. Most varieties of this shrub bloom from late spring to early summer. Plant them near patios and walkways to enjoy their lovely perfume.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 7 to 10
Light: Part shade
Bacopa
This trailing annual has tiny, round flowers that seem to thrive on neglect. Combine them in a mixed planter with more upright flowers for most impact. Bacopa bloom all the way until a hard frost.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun to part shade
Hydrangea
These stunning shrubs range in height from a few feet tall to eight or more feet. The blooms can be tiny like softballs or gigantic like bowling balls! Many types have white to cream-white blooms that last for months.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 9
Light: Part sun to full sun, depending on the variety; afternoon shade in very hot climates
Related: Learn about Five Types of Hydrangeas
Angelonia
Spikes of tiny white flowers make this a must-have in the garden. Angelonia come in both upright and cascading forms. They look amazing starring alone in a container, but they're also fabulous in a mixed container.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun
Narcissus
When spring arrives, you can count on these bulbs to pop up in bloom with their trumpet shaped centers! Plant these bulbs in fall for spring blooms.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 8
Light: Full sun
Related: 13 Prettiest Spring Bulbs for Your Garden
Ammi
Ammi resembles the wild Queen Anne's lace that you'll see growing by the roadside. It comes in shades of white or with pinkish tinges and self-sows readily.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun
Hyacinth
These spring bloomers have the most magnificent fragrance. Plant the bulbs in fall for spring blooms.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 8
Light: Full sun
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