How to Create a White Garden: Inspired by Classic English Design - Episode 45

Dream garden unlocked! In this episode of Fostering Blooms, Shannon walks us through designing and installing a courtyard knot garden / parterre inspired by classic English white gardens at Sissinghurst and Hidcote—think boxwood edging, yew "sofa" hedging, limestone gravel paths, and lush white blooms that carry interest through the seasons. We talk layout math (hello precision!), off-center paths that look perfectly centered, and how to blend a modern home with historical garden style. You'll hear how the space evolved—killing the lawn, setting four equal parterre squares with keyhole cutouts, adding spiral topiary moments, and creating a Mediterranean-leaning gravel zone for flow and access. We dig into plant picks (from white catmint, foxglove, phlox 'David', Culver's root, cosmos 'Sonata White', lavender, alliums, poppies and more) and why western sun exposure plus koi-pond humidity shaped the choices. Shannon also swaps a bamboo planter for a whimsical medlar tree (yes, the Shakespeare fruit!) and shares tips for pacing, filming progress, and keeping maintenance flexible for future gardeners. Takeaways: How to design a small-scale knot garden/parterre you can view from above Using hedging structure with airy, abundant white plantings Gravel, screenings, and pathways for circulation (and moving furniture!) Year-round interest planning in a hot, reflective courtyard Two must-have whites for staying power: catmint and foxglove If you love formal structure + romantic abundance, this one's your blueprint. Follow along on IG for the before/after and planting day reveals—then let's go grow, baby.