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How to recreate the white garden at Sissinghurst in pictures | Life and style

How to recreate the white garden at Sissinghurst – in pictures

Sissinghurst garden's creator, Vita Sackville-West, called it her grey, green and white garden – "grey clumps of foliage, pierced here and there with tall white flowers". The trouble is, many of these plants are border giants – onopordum, crambe, malva and the like. So how do you scale down a grand design to fit your own modest patch? Designer Rosalind Rosewarne's plan for a densely-planted 1m x 2m border backed by a wall or fence clothed in climbing plants does just that, without losing the spirit of the original. It is suitable for a border in full or partial sun, and any soil aside from acidic. April is ideal for making a new border, so order your plants now.

Fri 23 Mar 2012 13.00 EDT First published on Fri 23 Mar 2012 13.00 EDT

  • Clematis 'Duchess of Edinburgh':

    Double flowers from May to June. Plant the roots in shade and the top in sun. Height: 2-3m.

  • Dicentra spectabilis f. alba:

    Arching stems of heart-shaped flowers in spring and fern-like leaves. Height: Up to 1m tall.

  • Anemone hybrida 'Honorine Jobert':

    A determined spreader if left to its own devices. Flowers prolifically through late summer and the blooms are excellent as cut flowers. Height: 1.2m.

  • Thymus 'Silver Posie':

    a silver-margined, 30cm tall aromatic thyme with pale pink flowers in late spring.

  • Delphinium ‘Snowgoose’:

    soft green clumps of palmate leaves kick off in late spring followed by dramatic, 1.5m tall flower stems. Stake in exposed sites.

  • Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Alba’:

    tapering 1.5m spires of flowers rise above whorls of serrated leaves. Leave in situ in the winter months to add architectural interest.

  • Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan':

    a long-flowering, 80cm tall echinacea that’s a winner with wildlife. The flowers often continue into October and can also be left for strong winter form.

  • Daphne x transatlantica 'Eternal Fragrance':

    this compact, semi-evergreen shrub produces rich-smelling flowers from spring to autumn. Height: 70cm.

  • Tulip 'White Dream':

    produces bowl-shaped blooms on 45cm stems in April and May. Plant in a pot at the front of the border and ring the changes through the year with crocus, alliums, lilies and agapanthus.

  • Trachelospermum jasminoides:

    A woody, evergreen climber with deliciously scented flowers. Leaves turn bronze in winter. Protect with fleece in super-cold winters. Height: 6-9m.

  • Leucanthemum 'Old Court':

    A robust clump-forming perennial with sumptuous deep green leaves and a crown of frothy flowers. Height: 90cm.

  • Allium 'Mount Everest':

    a large-headed allium with succulent, bright green leaves to 90cm tall.
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    Martina Birk

    Update: 2024-02-06

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