With these white garden ideas you can see what possibilities a monochromatic scheme can offer. 

In reality, a white garden is never just white, but includes myriad tones of greens and grey foliage, and various 'shades' of white flowers – from pale yellow, ivory, cream, oyster white, greenish white, bluish white, to the very palest blue. 

You can create calming, serene and elegant spaces by including only white blooms as part of your garden ideas, for timeless designs that will work with both contemporary and traditional yards.

A white garden is definitely an option that should be added to the mix when you're deciding on a garden color scheme, and is particularly suited to a formal garden design.

'White stands out and yet goes with anything. Think of white flowers against green foliage: the flowers show themselves clearly yet work in harmony with the leaves, taking on elements of the green which surrounds them,' explains garden designer Jo Thompson in her new book The Gardener’s Palette: Creating Colour Harmony in the Garden.

White garden ideas

There are many elements to consider when planning a white garden, from the types of flowers to include in your flower bed ideas, to how to create year round structure with evergreen shrubs and ensuring a long season of interest from blooms.

A white scheme can be particularly impactful as a small garden idea, or for narrow gardens, where the self illuminating and reflective qualities of the white flowers can help to lift dark areas.

1. Plan a strong layout

A strong layout is key to the design of a white garden. 

Troy Scott-Smith is head gardener at the world renowned Sissinghurst Castle Garden designed in the 1930s by novelist and poet Vita Sackville-West .‘At Sissinghurst, the white garden is quite formal in essence, the structural layout a series of paths and small box hedges on a grid pattern and that really holds the garden all through the year, regardless of the season and whether there are lots of white flowers in bloom,’ explains Troy.

White blooms provide the infill for to the evergreen borders in the parterre garden of this inspiring garden to visit.

'Structural hedging, including yew, Taxus baccata, provides an evergreen frame and will “show off” whites,’ agrees garden designer Claudia de Yong. 

Consider including topiary to provide form and contrast to white blooms.

2. Contrast texture and form

Avoid monotony in a white garden by varying plant height and shape. 

‘Spires of tall flowers add impact; those with blousy blooms, such as peonies, Paeonia lactiflora ‘Duchesse de Nemours’, add weight. Plant the same varieties in large groups, repeating the combination,’ advises garden designer Claudia De Yong.

‘We have  a combination of  three types of plants at Sissinghurst. Lots of mound forming grey leafed plants, such as artemisia and Eryngium giganteum Miss Willmott’s Ghost, through which there can be spires of elegant delphiniums, lupins, verbascum and white foxgloves, and then as a further contrast, wispy and ephemeral flowers like gypsum and poppies,’ adds Troy.

Many white cottage garden plants work well in a white garden scheme.

3. Densely plant

In a white garden, plant flowers densely for greater impact. 

‘Vita said “cram, cram, cram” and that is not a bad philosophy in a white garden sense. Two of our most successful beds this year are because there is no sense of soil,' explains Troy.

'All plants need to be harmonising and not competing, but to create impact be generous. Celebrate one beautiful specimen plant, or a selection that naturally sits cheek by jowl; a "fruit salad" planting effect is not always so pleasing,' Troy adds. 

Learn how to plant a flower bed and carefully plan your choices.

'There is always a rhythm to our crammed beds, with keynote plants that are repeated throughout so there is something for the eye to settle on as you are scanning across. A useful trick is to take a photo and put it into monochrome so you can see how the shapes work, because shape is everything in a white border,’ says Troy.

'In terms of layering or grouping, it’s quite important that you have a degree of contrast, but not so much of it that it becomes distracting or confusing,' adds garden designer Dan Pearson.

4. Create a mood

‘I would use whites for creating a design that feels clean, uncomplicated and calming; planting the likes of cow parsley and clean whites, rather than whites with pink in them. Or I would use whites that are geared towards cream and yellows. This will keep things calm and uncomplicated,’ says Dan Pearson.

To add to a sensory garden experience, include plants for pollinators so that visiting wildlife and the buzz of insects adds an extra dimension to your yard calming and soothing space.

'The emotion white conjures up can be tipped from cold to warm, just by the slightest addition of another color,' explains Jo Thompson.

'White is white because it reflects all colors: white objects absorb no wavelengths.' 

5. Use foliage

‘Foliage plants are a vital ingredient in a white garden, so use evergreen topiary and dark leaf flowering shrubs, such as the smoke bush, Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ for contrast,' explains Claudia de Yong. 

'Include white, silver, variegated and dark leaved plants in your mix, which add to the appearance of abundant blooms. Trees, such as the pale soft green of the weeping pear, Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’, blends perfectly with white planting,’ says Claudia. 

'Some are disinclined to use variegated foliage, but I shall continue to defend it vigorously. In a dark corner, variegated evergreen Euonymus fortunei ‘Silver Queen’ performs brilliantly, almost lighting up the space and behaving however you want it to behave, whether that be keeping it in a mound or letting it scramble through its neighbors or up against a wall, which it loves to do,' says Jo Thompson.

The best shrubs for shade include include those with variegated and interestingly textured foliage.

'Vita called it the grey, green and white garden at Sissinghurst – never the white garden – as there is a large quantity of grey leafed plants, which is really helpful rather than just green foliage,' says Troy.

6. Work with walls

Use vertical planting ideas in a white garden to great effect.

‘Add a bit of drama by planting the tall spires and heads of Lilium regale ‘Album’ which look great against brickwork. Don’t forget to include flowering climbers, such as the scented evergreen climber Trachelospermum jasminoides, Wisteria floribunda f. alba, varieties of clematis to grow, such as ‘Duchess of Edinburgh’ and roses like ‘Madame Alfred Carrière’, which has the advantage of flowering on a north facing wall or fence,’ explains Claudia.

Make sure you know how to prune climbing roses and how to prune clematis to keep them blooming well.

7. Plan a long season of interest

Stagger blooms for a long season of interest. 

‘We start off early planting spring bulbs narcissus and tulips coming through an understory of grey leafed plants. But we might also have repeat sowings of plants, such as Ammi majus with its lovely airy umbels, which we sow in September to flower at end of March/April, but also sow some in February so there is no gap, and we have continuum made by two or three successive sowings. 

These sit beside more permanent and enduring repeat-flowering roses planted for rose garden ideas, such as R. ‘Penelope', and include late summer flowers.

'So it's important to plan ahead and think abut successive sowings and the shape of things you want to create,' adds Troy.

‘Don’t forget to look at ground cover plants, as well as evergreen shrubs, many of which flower in the winter months, such as Myrtus communis, Osmanthus delavayi and Sarcococca hookeriana,’ adds Claudia.

Include as many annuals in your planting as you can, such Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Sonata White’ and Nigella ‘ Miss Jekyll White’, biennials such as Digitalis purpurea ‘Albiflora’, and tender perennials like Nicotiana sylvestris, which will flower in light shade,' Claudia adds.

8. Mix whites

'We speak of not mixing creamy white and white, but I find that as long as there is a contrast of foliage, mixing the two can work well,' explains Jo Thompson.

'For instance Rosa Macmillan Nurse = ‘Beamac’ alongside Cornus kousa and Viburnum opulus. The rose’s dark green leaves act as a foil, separating it just enough from its white-flowering neighbors; otherwise their shades of white could look a little “off ” against its creamy blooms, which have just a hint of a faded pink.'

Along with the varying 'shades' of white flowers to include in a white garden, consider that some flowers have yellow centers, like daisy flowers, 'which might be acceptable or you might not want it. Quite often white flowers have red leafed stalks, such as gallinea – which produces lovely flowers like a swarm of hovering white flies – but has a pronounced red calyx, so you either accept it, or cut it all down and do without the feature later in year,' adds Troy.

9. Plant around seating areas 

‘White flowers are self illuminating so are ideal planted by an outdoor dining area where they will shine in a dusky setting,’ explains Troy Scott-Smith.

'The white garden was deliberately planted where it was at Sissinghurst because it was near the dining and kitchen areas, so they could sit out and there would be some natural reflection from the white blooms as dusk encroached,' he adds.

White gardens work well around patio ideas, and for added delights include white fragrant flowers, such as fragrant roses, and night-scented plants. 'Night scented stock is really incredible, so they are nice to introduce,' adds Troy.

10. Choose flowers for shade and sun

Bright sunlight can look a little harsh on some white flowers, and can make white become uncomfortable visually. 'But a lot of white flowers come from grey leafed plants, which need to sun, so you need to understand how to sunlight travels around your garden, where are the areas of full sun, and those in dappled light and shade when you are choosing your palette of flowers, ' explains Troy.

Hydrangea arboresens 'Annabelle', for example, has creamy white blooms that cope well in full sun to partial shade, whereas other options for a white garden may suffer in the full glare of the sun.  

How do I make my garden white?

You can make your garden white by planning your planting to include a range of white flowers that bloom at different times of the year, and include a variety of texture, height and form.

'White flowers can be over quite quickly, so require a lot of maintenance and intervention, deadheading and tidying as they can go brown. You will have to remove the ageing heads of white flowers that are quite ephemeral and fleeting, otherwise it can make your white garden look quite rough and messy,' warns Troy.

How do I make a white border in my garden?

To make a white border in your garden, mix a combination of white flowering plants of varying heights and forms that work well together.

Claudia de Yong suggests the following planting combinations of shade plants for shady spots, including:

• Dicentra spectabilis ‘Alba’
• Astrantia major ‘Large White’
• Digitalis purpurea ‘Alba’
• Galanthus
• Hosta ‘Fire and Ice’
• Helleborus ‘Niger'
• Hydrangea aborescens 'Annabelle’
• Aquilegia vulgaris 'Nivea'
• Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’

For sunny spot, Claudia recommends a combination including:

• Agapanthus africanus ‘Albus’ 
• Anemone Wild Swan
• Lychnis coronaria ‘Alba’
• Dianthus ‘Mrs Sinkins’
• Allium stipitatum ‘Mount Everest'
• Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’
• Penstemon ‘White Bedder’
• Cistus x hybridus
• Centranthus ruber ‘Albus’

The beautiful garden at Bryn Bellan is a story of two halves, and perfectly complements the late Georgian house is surrounds, which was enlarged in the Victorian era.

The garden extends over two levels – the upper area more formal, with elegant white-themed flower borders, while the lower area is brimming with colorful blooms in the cutting garden and beds.

Now boasting many classic English garden ideas, the plot was overgrown and neglected when the owners took it on, but over the course of about 20 years they have gradually transformed a 'jungle' into the tranquil and picturesque vision it is today.

‘The garden wasn’t a blank canvas: it was a wilderness on two levels joined by a slope,’ says owner Gabrielle Armstrong, who masterminded the redesign employing sloping garden ideas, supported by her husband Trevor Ruddle.

The remains of a carriage turning circle now form a semi-circular sunken lawn in front of the house, over which a stately Sequoiadendron giganteum – commonly known as Wellingtonia – casts its beautiful shadows.

Before redesigning the garden, Gabrielle took the time to observe things, such as the position of the sun at certain times of the day.

‘The sequoiadendron is around 150 years old and I noticed how it cast the most amazing light and shade over the lawn at any time of day,' she says.

She needed to include shrubs for shade as much of the sun to his part of the garden is taken away by the trees, which meant she couldn't include a lot of perennials.

Gabrielle’s solution for bringing some kind of order to the garden, and to make the two levels easier to negotiate, was to tame its slope with a flight of steps flanked by a pair of pillars, and build a new curved garden wall to create two distinct spaces. 

Elegance and formality lies at the heart of the upper garden, with its semi-circular lawn surrounded by a rope-edged gravel garden path idea and framed by borders planted with structural evergreen shrubs and topiary for year-round good looks. 

Flowering shrubs and perennials are chosen for their calming, variegated foliage and white flowers. 

The narrow patio at the back of the property was widened to provide the perfect spot for entertaining friends, using carefully-sourced Jacobean bricks to seamlessly tie in with the original section. A semi-circular tea terrace was created to catch the afternoon and early evening sun. 

‘This part of the garden has been designed with structure and form and with a green and white garden color scheme. It enhances and sits comfortably with the style of the house,’ explains Gabrielle.

'The white garden at Sissinghurst has always had quite an effect on me, and I am greatly inspired by Wollerton Old Hall in Shropshire,’ says Gabrielle.

Gabrielle chose to grow camellias, rhododendrons, spring and fall bulbs, cyclamens, Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabel’ and ‘Champagne Moment’ roses.

The gateway between the two gardens is positioned to create a lovely vista across a lawned area, punctuated with specimen fast growing trees. 

These include a tall weeping silver birch underplanted with an oval bed of naturalized spring bulbs, starting with snowdrop and crocus and continuing with narcissi and camassias, which look iridescent in the spring sunlight.

In the contrasting lower garden area, two matching curved flower bed ideas framed with low box hedges are are positioned close to the wall, planted with roses and perennials in hues of purple, lilac, coral and apricot. 

Tucked away to the far right is a romantic cut flower garden surrounded by a trellis fence, initially put in place to deter a Jack Russell terrier but now proving useful for keeping rabbits at bay and adding an ornamental note.

Here Gabrielle grows a succession of flowers over a long season in colors that complement the décor of various rooms in the house, including fragrant flower choices.

She grows sweet peas and oyster pink ‘Chandos Beauty’ roses, Campanula lactiflora and delphinium.

Lining the pathway through this garden are four types of allium, the ethereal seed heads of which look good even after the petals have faded, and ‘Jane Phillips’ irises with their vibrant blue blooms and sword-like leaves.

‘While I enjoy structure in a garden, I love cottage garden plants,’ says Gabrielle. 

‘My mother had a cutting garden and I wanted one too, but it’s more of a cottage garden in style so that it looks breathtakingly beautiful throughout the season.'

Sweetly-perfumed ‘Hidcote’ lavender is planted at the base of the trellis fence to soften its edges throughout the year and bring a vivid blue haze to this part of the garden at the height of summer.

Its color complements that of the bijou potting shed idea, next to which is an old French bottle drier used for storing terracotta pots, creating an attractive as well as a practical feature.

The cutting garden can be enjoyed from a circular seat surrounding an old apple tree, beyond which is a gated opening through a beech arch to a composting area. 

This area sits on the edge of a wildflower meadow, through which meandering rides are cut during the summer months to blend the garden with the countryside beyond.

The garden continues to evolve from season to season, as a perfect example of how to plan a garden of distinct areas and styles.

An abundance of William Morris designs, colorful textiles and all shades of green make for a cozy Christmas celebration in this characterful home. 

Arts and crafts play a huge role in the lives of homeowners Lizzie Houghton and her husband Dave Puddifoot. So when they left their London home of 40 years for the quiet of Penzance, in Cornwall, it was inevitable that their new home would be a creative kind of place, fit for one of the worlds best homes.

The home was built in the mid-18th century, then remodelled in 1820, and its kitchen is full of inspiration for those looking for kitchen ideas. William Morris wallpapers and fabrics feature in almost every room, along with shades of green, piles of Lizzie's hand-embroidered cushions and homemade rag rugs, and Dave’s distinctive original paintings and sculptures.

The couple had agreed that they would only move to Cornwall if they could find a house they loved more than their home in London. Over time, and after many viewings, they eventually came across the house that was to become their Cornwall home.

‘We loved its Regency architecture, spacious rooms and beautiful garden,’ says Lizzie. The fact that it also has six bedrooms, including a studio each and a music room, both for playing and listening, and plenty of space for family and friends to come and stay, was a great bonus. 

Kitchen

The house comes into its own at Christmas when extended family and friends fill the house for a festive meal around the kitchen table on Christmas Eve. There's an old Aga and a Lacanche range cooker in here, so it's easy to cater for all occasions – including big Christmases. 

An elegant chandelier above the kitchen table adds extra sparkle – a great way of getting a period look for those interested in vintage kitchen ideas. This elegant example was one of the many special fixtures and fittings inherited with the house.  The dining chairs came from a junk shop in Penzance and the table is laden with antique crockery, usually stored in the dresser that came with the house. One of Lizzie’s embroidered pictures, based on Vita Sackville-West's Sissinghurst Castle Garden, takes pride of place on the mantelpiece. 

Details like these create a warm, welcoming mix of old and even older – family heirlooms fitting in alongside antiques bought over the years, with layers of craft work, pottery and paintings adding a colourful reminder of Lizzie and Dave’s artistic talents. Dave still paints and Lizzie continues to create clothes, rag rugs and beautiful cushions, which give their home its unique character.

Entrance hall

The collection of decorative china and crockery is so extensive that it overflows onto a second dresser in the entrance hall. Lizzie loves decorative details of all kinds, but her real passion is for William Morris prints. The wallpaper here is William Morris’ Bird and Pomegranate design, one of Lizzie’s favourites. 

Living room

Dave and Lizzie were frequent visitors to the William Morris Gallery in east London. When the gallery was refurbished it sold off some of the carpet. Lizzie bought the carpet and when they moved to Cornwall, the local carpet shop adapted it for the living room and stairs. It was quite a responsibility but the couple are delighted with the results and the carpet is Lizzie’s pride and joy, along with the William Morris Fruit wallpaper that covers the living room walls, and other prints elsewhere in the house. The designs reflect her other great passion in life, flowers and greenery, and the house as a whole is a great showcase for traditional decorating ideas, with inspiring schemes for fans of classic wallpaper and fabric designs.

Bedroom

The rooms where the couple spend most time all face the garden, so there is a direct link between the view outdoors and the interior décor. One of the enviable bedroom ideas here, is the Victorian chaise longue reupholstered in William Morris woven Dove and Rose fabric, with needlepoint cushions from a charity store. Positioned right by the elegant Georgian sash windows to make the most of the garden and sea views, the chaise complements the Morris Bird and Pomegranate wallpaper and Liberty carpet bought from a house clearance. 

The curtains are also a William Morris design, and were repurposed from the couple's London home along with the Indian quilts on the antique French bed, all bought many years ago in London.

Bathroom

The traditional-style roll-top bath and shower surround were already here, but the  walls have been given a coat of rich green paint and the travertine flooring softened with colorful Indian scatter rugs. 

Thanks to a forest of different greens and layer upon layer of William Morris prints all round the house, the interiors are full of color and pattern. This is a home where more is most definitely more.

Words/ Heather Dixon
Photographs/ Mark Bolton

The unlikeliness of this impressive garden design only heightens its impact. Hemmed just outside London, Theobalds Farmhouse Garden is the antithesis of the suburban expectation. Whilst city tower blocks feather the distant horizon, the immediate landscape is unexpectedly rural, traditionally horticultural, steeped in glasshouses. Swing through the property’s entrance gate and leave Greater London behind you.

Garden designer Alison Green bought the Grade II listed 17th century farmhouse in 1999 for ‘its classic architecture typical of the period’s style'. 

‘The land and buildings were once part of the Royal Theobalds Estate,’ explains Alison, 'and were part of a former working stud farm. Latterly developers had laid the almost two-acre plot to rough lawn, for ease of maintenance.'

Here Alison explains her extraordinary garden ideas and how this is the garden design of her dreams.

Garden design setting

The symmetrical, double-fronted house sits squarely in the top north-west corner of the plot. ‘My instinct was to create four small garden designs around the house, with mirror-image proportions to either side and again front to rear, framing the house, setting it apart from the remaining open space. 

‘Typical of the Arts and Crafts style and inspired by garden rooms and design diversity at Hidcote, Sissinghurst and Great Dixter each garden was to be unique and all were to be gardened organically and ‘designed partly to inspire potential clients'.

These and subsequent garden rooms at Theobalds, are inadvertently linked by a series of designed circles which occur, regularly throughout. ‘My designs are based on the ‘golden section’ principal, a geometry which helps to achieve a feeling of natural balance,’ explains Alison who trained at Capel Manor College and The London School of Gardening.

Knot garden

In front of the farmhouse house lies a neatly tied Knot Garden ‘reflective of the period’ with two mirror-image, Celtic knot designs, identical swirling patterns traced and then crafted in box, Buxus sempervirens, either side of the house’s entrance. 

Enclosed in yew baccata, evergreen walls contain the space. There is corresponding symmetrical planting of the ornamental wedding cake tree, Cornus contraversa ‘Variegata’ - silver in spring, caramelising in autumn.

Ruddy-hued peony foliage brings warmth beyond the knots perimeter, which are left unplanted to reduce risk of box blight. The equivalent, fully enclosed space to the rear of the house, has limited sunlight.

Gravel garden

A broad triangular area sits on the northern-most perimeter, bound by yew, and the walls of the house. The enclosed Gravel Garden, formerly a box-rimmed parterre, which ‘succumbed to blight' but the inner plantings remain tall and engulfing. Japanese anemones, persicaria, and six-foot-tall scented roses, ‘Lichfield Angel’ and ‘Jaqueline du Pre’ flower until first frosts.

Curved beds sweep around a circular, lavender-filled raised plinth planted with an on-the-turn fig tree. Color floods into this cool, green enclave, back lit by the brilliance of autumnal acers, liquid amber and sweet cherries, the borrowed landscape of turning trees in the gardens beyond.

The Courtyard Garden is paved with York stone and is set with a stone fountain on a circular, sun-design pebble mosaic. White planting in blue-glaze pots helps bring some illumination.

Ornamental garden

The ‘matching’ Ornamental Garden space, enclosed by yew walls and the east-facing side of the house, is open-to-the skies. 

‘The space was reclaimed from a large overgrown area of open grass. A circular lawn, collared with a necklace of brickwork occupies the central, sun-spilled space with surrounding cottage-garden style planting.' Masses of trees and shrubs, oak-leaved Hydrangea quercifolia and Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’ color up in autumn to create great contrast with the evergreen architecture. 

This theme is reiterated throughout the gardens where Alison, in ardent pursuit of successional planting, ensures there is year round interest.

Jewel garden

Beyond the original quartet of small garden rooms, intimate to the house, there’s an abundance of outlying gardens decorative and different by design. 

Contemporary in feel, The Spiral Garden is a living interpretation of an interior room inspired by and created from spoil resulting from earthworks in the adjoining ‘Jewel Garden’. 

Equidistant plantings of white-legged Himalayan Birches, Betula utilis subsp. jacquemontii ‘Grayswood Ghost’ frame a spiralling, raised-grass mound, based on the golden section logarithmic spiral. This overall effect is a curved window bay, capped with a foliage roof. 

Beyond lies a rippling lake of lawn, giant, naturalistic arcs of ornamental grasses, mown in bands to preserve habitat for pollinators and wildlife, petering away from the more cultivated areas of the garden. 

Lawns and beyond

The massive ‘lawn’ is boldly framed with huge themed big borders. In fall the Exotic Border is a riot of strictly curated color. 

‘Brilliant oranges and rich deep maroons dominate with explosions of fiery day-lilies, helenium, rudbekias, towering sunflowers and purple clouds of Verbena bonariensis and giant purple Dahlia ‘Thomas Edison’. Beyond lies the similarly vibrant Jewel Garden, at its richest in autumn. 

‘This fluid, figure-of-eight-shaped garden is simply art-on-the ground. I spray-painted the outline, colouring it in with lush foliage and exotic, jewel-coloured flowers between green-grass pathways,’ Alison says. 

Concentric rings of brick, grass, pool and fountain decorate the lower circle whilst the upper circle bed is planted with a windmill palm, Trachycarpus fortunei, striped foliage, orange-flowered Canna ‘Pretoria’, Amaranthus panicualta ‘Marvel Bronze’ surrounded by an array of richly-colored dahlias, ‘Tartan’, ‘Bishop of Llandaff’ and ‘Preference’. 

‘Warm and sheltered, I’m able to leave even tender plants to overwinter here, except the potted bananas which are moved into the glass houses.' 

Productive greenhouses, fruit and vegetable plots lie just behind the Jewel Garden which is in turn divided from the Water Gardens by a new Pebble Mosaic Garden - ‘a place to sit and sip in the late evening sun’. 

Water garden

The gardens all slope away from the house, culminating in the distant naturalistic swimming pond, with its circular wooden decks, and wildlife pond and stream, introduced in 2005. Both are camouflaged by a thick fringe of reeds and rushes, and in the far garden corner, tucked from more visited garden areas, hives of contented honey bees.

‘I garden organically, and buy plants which are specifically beneficial to pollinators. Birds, butterflies and bees bring the garden to life and help to keep pests naturally at bay,' says Alison.

Woodland color

A shaded woodland walk ‘planted to ‘shield me from London’s buildings,’ wends back towards the Wildflower Meadow by the gardens main entrance. 

Here, Alison has planted a grove of trees for autumn color, creating a fireball in the skies above; glowering red Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’, deep maroon Cornus contraversa ‘Grace’, traffic-light Sweet Gum, Liquidamber styraciflua, Black cherry, Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’ and paper handkerchief tree Davidia involucrata. 

In contrast to the deliberately concealed nature of each of the garden rooms, this exuberant, colourful display of autumn foliage cannot be contained and is evident throughout the entire garden.

Feature / Jacky Hobbs

The roses of Sissinghurst Gardens in the UK countryside are arguably the world's best. With abundant fountains of blooms filling the air with their sweet fragrance, they are the envy of rose-growers everywhere. And these abundant displays are all down to their pruning.

'The rose pruning philosophy can be summed up as "treat them mean, keep them keen"' says gardener and floral expert Sarah Raven. 'If you put every stem of a rose plant under pressure, bending and stressing it, the rose will flower more prolifically.'

Read on to discover a clever rose pruning trick from the professionals at Sissinghurst, and all your friends will be asking for your rose growing secrets come the summer. 

See: How to plant roses – an essential guide

The Sissinghurst rose pruning trick

The Sissinghurst pruning method was created by the garden's first head gardener Jack Vass in the 1930s. His debut of the heavily trained technique did not meet the approval of the garden's creator, author and gardening expert Vita Sackville-West who prefered to let her roses grow wild.

However, the profusion of flowers the following year, with their blousy blooms and rich fragrance saw her converted. 

Joshua Sparkes, the head gardner at Forde Abbey, who also uses this method, says, 'Instead of the traditional rose prune of cutting back to three buds and taking out a third, the idea was to arch the stems over in a bend, and tie them in.'

Sarah Raven, who lived at Sissinghurst Castle for eight years, is also a convert to this method and shares the details on her must-read blog.

'The great Sissinghurst trick to pruning roses is meticulous work behind the scenes earlier in the year, when precision horticulture guarantees that wonderful romantic effect.' says Sarah.

To help you on your way to professional blooms, we've collated Sarah's top tips for pruning roses the Sissinghurst way, read on to find out how.

See: Rose garden ideas – for a colorful and sweetly scented outdoor space

For pruning climbing roses, 'we start the rose pruning in October. Beginning with the wall trained roses and then move into the borders,' says Sissinghurst Gardener Jo Jones.

The process begins with removing the majority of last year's growth so that the rose's elegant skeleton remains. This prevents it becoming too woody and fosters good growth next year.

'Any thick, woody stems are cut out at the base to encourage new flowering shoots next year.' explains Sarah Raven.

The remaining stems are then re-attached to the wall with the pruned tip of each branch bent down and attached to the one below. Try to create a uniform pattern that will look neat and tidy when in bloom.

Pruning shrub roses starts with removing any old and diseased wood, as you do with the climbers. These are then bent in the desired shape, though the shape in which they are bent will vary depending on the variety of the shrub. 

'Tall bush roses with stiff branches are twirled up a frame of four chestnut or hazel poles. Every pruned tip is bent and attached to a length below.' says Sarah Raven

'The big leggy shrubs, which put out great, pliable, triffid arms that are easy to tie down and train, are bent on to hazel hoops arranged around the skirts of the plant,' continues Sarah. 

The outward branches are tied in first, and then work inwards to create an intricate web. 'Without any sign of a flower, this looks magnificent as soon as it's complete, and in a couple of months, each stem, curved almost to ground level, will flower abundantly.' says Sarah.

See: How to deadhead roses – for more flowers in a matter of weeks

Contained varieties that don't need much attach or those with stiff, non-pliable branches are the easiest to prune. Simply cut them back hard and then attach each bush to a single stake. The stake should be a similar height to the pruned bush. 'This will stop them toppling as they grow in the summer months.' says Sarah.

While you may not be able to get away for Valentine's Day this year, a weekend away once lockdown is over sounds like the perfect gift for your loved one.

If you're searching for inspiration for a romantic spot to visit then look no further as we've rounded up 10 of the most romantic - and historic - spots from across the length and breadth of Britain. From an idyllic Cotswolds town to the enchanting natural pools of the Scottish isles, there's something for everyone.

See: Our favorite National Trust gardens – to put on your wishlist, too

1. Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent

A motif of love as old as time, the sweet-smelling rose cannot fail to delight. The roses at Sissinghurst Castle Garden are internationally renowned, and immortalise the unconventional marriage of writer Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson, who, in designing the castle gardens, would define the English style. The project united Harold’s eye for structure and Vita’s passion for flora, filling the gardens with beautiful blooms, including her beloved old roses, a true summer spectacle. 

2. Lyme Park in Cheshire

The sandstone façade of Lyme Park, with rows of sash windows overlooking the expansive lake, will flutter the heart of any period drama lover. Immortalised as Mr Darcy’s Pemberley in the BBC’s 1995 Pride & Prejudice series, Lyme is filled with drama and interest, both inside and out. Follow in the footsteps of literature’s most beloved couple with a stroll by the lakeside, taking the path to the scenic Dutch garden, renowned for its intricate design.

3. Mottisfont in Romsey

Mottisfont has a multitude of features to recommend it, from a parterre by famous garden designer Nora Lindsay, perennial borders by Graham Stuart Thomas, a winter garden and new kitchen garden. But it is the walled garden bursting with roses in summer that really draws people, to witness the scented blooms ramble, climb and drape themselves in luxurious splendor around effervescent summer planting.

4. Staithes in North Yorkshire

Nestled into the hillside, gazing out over the expanse of the sea, Staithes offers a much-needed escape from busy day-to-day life. Its winding cobbled streets dotted with whitewashed fishermen’s cottages create a village full of character, providing the perfect backdrop for a weekend of exploration and relaxation. Walk across the hilltops and fall in love with the views across the port, or perhaps head to the sandy beach for a sunset stroll along the peaceful shore.

5. Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire

The Elizabethan Garden at Kenilworth Castle has been painstakingly recreated from eyewitness accounts of a visit by Queen Elizabeth I 400 years ago. A last-ditch attempt by Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, to impress the Queen and win her hand and heart, the garden features a marble fountain, obelisks, bowers and an intricate aviary. Split into four sections, with two geometric parterres in each, the planting comprises plants typical to Tudor gardens including scented plants, herbs and gillyflowers. 

6. Tintern Abbey in Wales

There is something romantic about a ruin, standing as a relic of time gone by, filled with the stories of lives lived, loves lost and a great past returned to nature. The ruin of Tintern Abbey has captured the imagination of poets and painters, including Keats and Turner, for centuries. Be captivated by its beauty and perhaps be inspired to create your own masterpiece as you explore the ruins of the ivy-clad structure, built nearly 900 years ago. 

7. Fairy Pools in the Isle of Skye

With its rugged landscape and dramatic coastline, every inch of the Isle of Skye is steeped in natural beauty. Resting at the foot of the Cuillin Mountains, the Fairy Pools epitomise the island’s beauty. A popular location for walkers and wildlife lovers, the crystal clear rock pools, fed by a series of waterfalls, are uniquely atmospheric. The serene waters are also famed for wild swimming, although wild swimming is probably best avoided during Scotland’s chilly winters.

8. Keswick in the Lake District

On the bank of Friar’s Crag there is a perfectly placed bench. This picturesque spot illustrates all the magnificence of the lakeland landscape in one eyeful, from the serene expanse of Derwentwater sparkling in the sunlight, to the rising grandeur
of the iconic Cat Bells in the distance. Heralded as one of the best views in Keswick, it is an ideal spot to stop and rest on a longer hike, or just a short wander to sit and soak up the atmosphere.

9. Bibury village in the Cotswolds

With pockets of honey-colored cottages interspersed with the rippling tributaries of the River Coln, it is easy to see why William Morris crowned Bibury ‘the most beautiful village in England’. One of the most photographed Cotswold scenes, Arlington Row was built in 1380 and converted from a monastic wool store to weavers’ cottages in the late 17th century. Stay a while and enjoy a Cotswold holiday in Number 9. 

10. Gravetye Manor in Sussex

Treat your other half to a special weekend break at Gravetye Manor, best known as the former home of William Robinson, who pioneered the English gardening style in the late 1800s with his visionary book The Wild Garden. Come for the tulips in spring, and the dynamic flower garden in summer, when vibrant perennials mix with tender exotics and annuals in the stunning borders. Take a walk in the meadows and orchards, and enjoy a game of croquet on the lawn.

11. Star gazing at Northumberland National Park

Love stories have been played out under the stars for millennia. However, light pollution means that the beauty of the night sky is often lost to us. Thankfully, up and down the country there are protected skies, such as in Northumberland National Park, which lets the stars be observed in their full splendor. The Kielder observatory lets you see the cosmos up close, but the stars are equally stunning from a picnic blanket while enjoying a flask of hot chocolate.

These gardens encompass over 500-years of history, and showcase a variety of styles and fashions.Discover a selection of our favourite National Trust gardens that you can visit all year-round.

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Mottisfont, Hampshire

Sweeping lawns, ancient trees, and sparkling streams frame this lovely old house, formed from a medieval priory. Maud Russell made it her home in the 1930s, bringing artists, writers and designers here. Inside you’ll discover changing art exhibitions, and outdoors, acres of changing seasonal colour.

In mid-winter, thousands of snowdrops cluster along the river walk. Mottisfont’s one-acre winter garden glows with brilliantly coloured bark from dogwoods and silvery ornamental bramble. Full of winter-flowering shrubs, sweet scents of witch hazel, viburnum and wintersweet fill the air and gullies of foliage plants appear to wind through the banks of willow like water, spilling into the stream below.

In early spring the garden is dotted with pink and purple bedding plants - cyclamen, crocus and anemone - and clusters of golden daffodils bloom across the garden’s huge lawns and under its giant plane trees. In the formal parterre and rose garden tulips appear in ivory, pink and deep purple. Mottisfont’s pretty Lime Avenue is carpeted in lilac-blue chionodoxa flowers, and in the meadow you’ll find nodding purple snake’s-head fritillaries.

Mottisfont is famous for its renowned rose garden, which reaches its peak in June. Housing the National Collection of old-fashioned roses, this incredible series of walled gardens is full to bursting with deeply scented varieties. You’ll find ramblers and climbers on walls and mingling with gnarled fruit trees. Delicate China and tea roses mix with ancient varieties from Persia, set in huge borders alongside other perennials like geraniums, peonies, pinks, and white foxgloves. Many of the rose varieties are for sale, in Mottisfont’s large rose sales area.

Adjoining the rose garden is Mottisfont’s large kitchen garden, which this autumn celebrates its first anniversary. This beautiful space embodies the property’s medieval history and productive past. Long pergolas inspired by cloisters are smothered with hanging gourds, and raised beds bursting with produce and floral colour surround a central water feature. Everything is culinary, medicinal or edible, designed to educate and inspire. Elsewhere, Mottisfont’s veteran trees put on spectacular shows of autumn foliage.

Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire

The 114-acre gardens of Anglesey Abbey reward a visit time and again, offering a new highlight every season – just as their creator, Lord Fairhaven, intended.

In spring, don’t miss the Formal Garden where brightly coloured orange and white ‘Tres Chic’ and ‘Ballerina’ tulips adorn the crisp, geometric beds.

In the summer months, expect formal gardens full of scent and colour, open lawns for relaxing and wildflower meadows buzzing with activity. From June to October, the quintessentially English Rose Garden is a must see as 40 different rose varieties fill the air with scent.

As summer gives way to autumn, it’s the Dahlia Garden’s time to shine. Featuring 70 types of dahlias, and arranged in a sweeping curve, the garden creates a glorious rainbow effect and is celebrated in the garden’s annual Dazzling Dahlias event (9-29 September 2019).

But it isn’t just the plants that make Anglesey Abbey special: Lord Fairhaven amassed one of the finest collections of garden statuary in the country. Prepare to be amazed by the array of statues you’ll find throughout the garden, from stone Greek maidens and busts of Emperors to crouching lions and intricately decorated urns.

When the nights draw in and many gardens turn quiet, the Winter Garden comes into its own with breathtaking colours and textures from 150 specially chosen plant species. Admire the stunning grove of silver birches, snowdrops, beautifully touchable barks, grasses whispering in the breeze and some powerfully scented winter flowers.

Nymans, West Sussex

German émigré Ludwig Messel bought the 600-acre Nymans estate in the 1890’s so he could cultivate his love of gardening and share it with family and friends. The extensive but intimate garden, set around a romantic house and partial ruin, is still delighting visitors today with hidden corners through stone archways, tree-lined avenues and views of the lush Sussex Weald.

In spring the walled garden is brim full of lavish displays of flowers, from drifts of bright yellow daffodils to masses of frothy blossom and camellias.

Perhaps the most photographed part of the garden is the Edwardian summer borders, a flamboyant mix of perennials and annuals set off by a beautiful Verona marble fountain. Another summer highlight is the Rose Garden, inspired by Maud Messel’s 1920s design, scented by hints of old-fashioned roses.

As summer fades to autumn, displays of dahlias, salvias and hydrangeas take centre stage in the sunk garden and terrace. The autumn tints on leaves, rustling of ornamental grasses and glow of colourful heather are a feast for all the senses. Enclosing the rose garden, the vivid new salvia border stays colourful well into autumn, complementing packed borders full of late summer flowers. Views across the woodland dipping down into the valley reveal a palette of oranges, reds and yellows.

Even winter is far from dull, with clusters of snowdrops, fragrant witch hazels and colourful stems brightening even the greyest of days. Frost crunches beneath your feet and the air is filled with the sweet smell of delicate daphne flowers. Stroll along the winter walk and be cheered by winter flowering shrubs, berries, bark and stems.

Bodnant Garden, Conwy

Nestling in the Snowdonian foothills, Bodnant is a world class, Grade-I listed garden, but much more – enjoy grand formal terraces, dramatic riverside dells, a tranquil lakeside and informal woods and meadows buzzing with wildlife. It really is a garden for all seasons; bursting with blossom in spring, rose terraces and lily ponds in summer, a tree-scape of fantastic autumn colour, plus a specially designed Winter Garden. Don’t miss a peek inside the 18th-century Pin Mill, the Victorian Poem mausoleum and the Georgian Old Mill (open on certain days, see website for details).

In late spring, the glorious laburnum arch steals the show, believed to be the oldest and longest of its kind in the UK. Planted in 1880, and made up of 64 laburnum plants, it creates a 55m long tunnel of golden, cascading flowers that draws visitors from far and wide.

This is a plant lover’s dream, with ‘signature’ plants including Meconopsis (startlingly blue Himalayan poppies), Davidia (handkerchief tree) and Embothrium (the scarlet-flowered Chilean fire bush). It’s also home to Britain’s earliest magnolias, introduced from China in the late 1800s, and to unique rhododendron hybrids which were bred here from the 1920s.

It’s 100 years since Bodnant came into the care of the National Trust, and the garden keeps on evolving. With around 20 formerly private acres opened to the public since 2012, and gardeners currently busy renovating other areas, there will be plenty more to explore in years to come.

Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Kent

Historic, poetic, iconic – Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent is a refuge dedicated to beauty. Poet and writer Vita Sackville-West and her diplomat and author husband Harold Nicolson fell in love with Sissinghurst Castle and began creating their now world-renowned garden in the 1930s. Harold’s architectural planning of the garden ‘rooms’, and the colourful, generous planting by Vita, reflect the romance and intimacy of her poems and writings.

Each of the garden rooms is planted to peak in a particular season, like acts in a year-long play. In spring the Lime Walk is at its best, before the Rose Garden becomes the focus in early summer. July sees the famous White Garden peak followed by the Lower Courtyard in August. The jungle-like Cottage Garden reaches a crescendo by September and was known by Vita as the ‘sunset garden’ for its profusion of hot red, yellow and orange shades.

New for 2020 will be the ‘Delos’ garden, which Vita and Harold began after a visit to the sacred Greek island in the 1930’s. The local climate and north-facing position of the garden, combined with a limited knowledge of Mediterranean planting, meant that the garden didn’t thrive. But now, designer Dan Pearson is working with the National Trust to breathe life back into the space, using current design practices, clever landscaping and a broader range of planting to capture the essence of Vita and Harold’s vision.

Stourhead, Wiltshire

First opened in the 1740s, Stourhead is one of England’s greatest landscape gardens, described in the 18th century as “a living work of art where all is grand or simple or a beautiful mixture of both.”

Follow the twisting paths through this magical landscape garden where trees, plants, classical temples and grottos are reflected in the glistening lake, hidden views are revealed at every turn, and each season paints a different picture.

In summer, enjoy the sun-dappled paths, watch for the garden’s rich butterfly and bird life and relax on one of the picnic-perfect lawns. Autumn brings a whole new grandeur as the lake reflects the bonfire of colours and golden leaves crunch underfoot, before winter brings a frozen peace, the bare trees traced crisply against the sky.

Dotted around the garden are many spectacular temples and features, designed to create a classical feel. These include The Temple of Flora, dedicated to the Roman goddess of flowers and spring; the statue-filled Pantheon, the largest garden building at Stourhead; a cool, cave-like Grotto and the circular, hilltop Temple of Apollo, which gives delightful views over the lake.

Powis Castle, Powys

Powis Castle has one of the finest gardens in Britain, attracting visitors from all over the world to enjoy its superb horticultural craftsmanship and rich history.

Perched high on a rocky ridge, Powis Castle was once a fortified medieval castle but in later, less violent centuries, it was transformed into a comfortable family home. Stretching out below the castle lies a garden which, far from being a rustic, small-town attempt, was the height of international fashion in its day.

Many of the country’s greatest gardens show only their most recent developments as they have been created over the remains of older gardens; each layer loved in its day but now buried under the tide of fashion. The wonder of Powis’ garden is that it has retained most of its historic styles – its 17th-century Italianate terraces and Orangery, its peaceful wooded landscape garden on the Wilderness ridge, and its opulent Edwardian Formal Garden. All are still there and thriving, now enriched by centuries of plantsmanship and skilled gardening.

Explore the historic terraces lined with unique yew ‘tumps’, which stand as monumental living sculptures stretching up to 14m high, and admire breath-taking views across the Severn valley and the wider garden. It is a rare sight to see 300 years of garden history unfolding before your eyes, sitting happily and spectacularly together.

Unquestionably a garden for all seasons, Powis has something to please the eye even on the crispest of winter days. Dancing lead statues, lavish herbaceous borders, an ice-house, fountain garden, vibrant autumnal colour and crisp winter views all wait to be discovered in this garden that never fails to impress.

Cliveden, Buckinghamshire

There’s not one garden at Cliveden, but many, each with its own individual character and particular charm. The estate is the result of 350 years of work by countless gardeners, with layer upon layer of historical influences and passions. As one planting scheme starts to fade at the end of the season, another comes into its own, providing countless reasons to visit over the course of the year.

Visitors stepping onto the terrace to look out over the Grade-I listed formal parterre are greeted by crisp geometric beds and far-reaching views over the Thames below. In the mid-19th century, John Fleming was head gardener to the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland at Cliveden and was an innovator of the seasonal and carpet bedding seen today across the estate. The spectacle of seasonal bedding is changed by the gardens team twice a year with each display using around 40,000 plants in bold and vibrant shades.

Cliveden’s Victorian-inspired bedding scheme can also be seen in the Long Garden which is home to the estate’s century-old yew topiary, depicting obelisks, spirals and peacocks. Along with the statuary, it creates a structural element to the Italianate garden which takes on an ethereal dimension on a misty day.

Throughout summer, the Rose Garden is a scented haven. From east to west, nodding heads of over 900 roses phase through sunset shades from palest lemon to deep red.

A real highlight of Cliveden’s formal gardens is the herbaceous borders. Chief among these are the contrasting ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ schemes of the forecourts on the north side of the mansion. These are the creation of Graham Stuart Thomas, the National Trust’s gardens advisor during the 1960s and 70s. The east border (facing west) is dominated by bright golds, yellows, oranges, reds, and burgundies. On the west border are the cooler whites, pale blues, mauves and pinks.

The oriental Water Garden provides superb autumn colour, and in spring bursts into bloom with camellias and azaleas. Elsewhere in spring, the formal gardens across the estate are bathed in the golden light of thousands of daffodils. A visit in early May is not complete without a walk through the woodlands to see the haze of bluebells carpeting the ground.

Cliveden’s estate is a kaleidoscope of colour for inspiration and enjoyment throughout the year.

Mount Stewart, County Down

All gardens are an outpouring of artistic expression, and Mount Stewart is no exception. Voted as one of the top 10 gardens in the world, the garden at Mount Stewart was planted in the 1920s and seems to be full of impossible flowers. It reflects a rich tapestry of design and great planting artistry that was the hallmark of its creator Edith, Lady Londonderry. Her passion for bold planting schemes coupled with the mild climate of Strangford Lough allows rare and tender plants from across the globe to thrive in this celebrated garden.

The formal gardens surrounding the house are packed with fanciful statues drawing from Irish and classical mythology. The astonishing levels of planting experimentation fill the gardens with spirit and character reminiscent of an Italian villa landscape. Wooded areas support a range of plants from all corners of the world, ensuring something to see whatever the season.

Walking through the magnificent woodlands is like walking through a painting: paths lined with rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias lead you around the banks of the four-acre lake, rich with primulas, irises, and large-leafed gunneras. It truly is a tonic for the soul.

Together the house, gardens and demesne are a glorious celebration of people, power and plants. Explore in your own time or take a guided garden tour to find out more about the history, grandeur and enchantment of these much-loved gardens.

Wentworth Castle Gardens, South Yorkshire

Wentworth Castle Gardens near Barnsley is one of the finest Grade-I listed landscapes in the country, featuring 63 acres of gardens and 500 acres of rolling parkland.

The gardens are home to some of the earliest monuments and follies in the country, including the fairy-tale like ‘ancient ruins’ of Stainborough Castle. Unusually for the time, many of the structures in the garden are dedicated to women, including Lady Mary Wortley Montagu who was responsible for introducing the smallpox vaccination to Britain and Western Europe. It’s believed to be the first monument in the country dedicated to a living, non-royal woman.

The beautifully restored Victorian conservatory is one of the last surviving winter gardens in England and was the first conservatory in the country to have electric lighting. The gardens are also home to three National Plant Collections: Camellia x williamsii cultivars, hardy rhododendrons and magnolias which give glorious showy displays in season.

An endless variety of gentle walking trails, picnic and hide and seek spots will keep you occupied for many outdoor adventures. Pause to take in the uninterrupted views of the Yorkshire countryside down to the valleys below, explore the mysterious fernery and stroll along Lady Lucy’s Walk, an avenue of towering lime trees.