As you know — I love to tie garden design to other design practices…particularly fashion.  I had a little thought as I was driving through the country yesterday — gardens don’t follow the fashion rule about not wearing white after labor day. Plants don’t care about those rules and they just do what they want.

I tend to ignore these rules too (as I sit here typing in my favorite pair of white jeans) – so I thought I would share some great white blooming plants that come out and do their thing after labor day.

There are many clematis that bloom white and the most notable late bloomer is Sweet Autumn Clematis which is a profusion of flowers late in the season.  But there are other more refined white clematis and my favorite is Diamond Ball.

In  my own garden, the latest blooming plant of all is the Heptacodium myconioides (Seven Sons Tree).   It’s sweet smell and profusion of white flowers mean that is is literally swarming with bee and pollinators in late fall.  This is great since with climate change, pollinators have the hardest time withstanding very early and very late season warm spells when food sources aren’t as readily available.

What is blooming white in your garden — shockingly — after labor day?

images by rochelle greayer , proven winners, monrovia