The Sissinghurst Collection
Historic, poetic, iconic: a refuge dedicated to beauty. Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson fell in love with Sissinghurst Castle and created a world-renowned garden.
Sissinghurst Castle Garden was the backdrop for a diverse history; from the astonishing time as a prison in the 1700s, to being a home to the women’s land army.
When planning a white border, it is important to consider introducing a range of green tones along with silver and grey, variegated leaves, and texture to extend the impact throughout summer
Troy Scott Smith, Head Gardener Sissinghurst
Bells of Ireland
Moluccella laevis, the Bells-of-Ireland, Bells of Ireland, Molucca balmis, shellflower or shell flower, is a summer flowering annual, native to Turkey, Syria and the Caucasus. It is cultivated for its spikes of flowers. In the language of flowers, it represents luck.
The tiny white flowers are surrounded by apple green calyces which are persistent. The rounded leaves are pale green.
Fast growing, Moluccella laevis will reach 1 metre (3.28 feet) and spread to 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) with an erect, branching habit.
A member of the mint family, the blooming stems can be cut and used in fresh or dried flower arrangements. The domestic plant is self-seeding, prefers full sun and regular water and is unlikely to do well in hot, humid climates.
Grass Bunny Tails - Lagurus ovatus
Lagurus is a genus of Old World plants in the grass family, native to the Mediterranean Basin and nearby regions, from Madeira and the Canary Islands to Crimea and Saudi Arabia. It is also naturalised in Australia, New Zealand, the Azores, Ireland and Great Britain, and scattered locations in the Americas. The only known species is Lagurus ovatus, commonly called hare's-tail, hare's-tail grass or bunnytail. It is also grown as an ornamental plant for its attractive flower panicles.
Lagurus ovatus is a clump-forming annual growing to 50 cm (20 in) tall by 30 cm (12 in) tall, with pale green grassy foliage and numerous short, oval green flowerheads, turning to a buff colour as they ripen, all summer long.
Native to the Mediterranean and introduced into Britain, it is now thriving on sandy stretches in the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, occasionally found in Ireland and South Wales. It has become naturalised in County Wexford, Ireland, South Devon and West Sussex.
Nicotiana White Trumpets
Nicotiana is a genus of herbaceous plants and shrubs in the family Solanaceae, that is indigenous to the Americas, Australia, Southwestern Africa and the South Pacific. Various Nicotiana species, commonly referred to as tobacco plants, are cultivated as ornamental garden plants. N. tabacum is grown worldwide for the cultivation of tobacco leaves used for manufacturing and producing tobacco products, including cigars, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, and snus.
Nicotiana sylvestris 'White Trumpets' are Tall annual with white, trumpet-shaped flowers that give off a lovely evening scent. Grows in sun or semi-shade and is great for pollinators and wildlife. The elegant flowers are good for cutting and last well, but wear gloves to handle as the foliage and stems may cause irritation.
Visit our full collection of National Trust seeds, inspired by Sissinghurst, including
AQUILEGIA Lime Sorbet
BELLS OF IRELAND
COSMOS Psyche White
FOXGLOVE Alba
GRASS Bunny Tails - Lagurus ovatus
GRASS Silver Grass - Miscanthus sinensis Early Hybrids
GYPSOPHILA paniculata
NICOTIANA langsdorffii
NICOTIANA White Trumpets
SWEET PEA White Ensign