Lupinus 'Gallery White'

Lupinus 'Gallery White': Sweet White Spikes Glowing at Dusk

'Gallery White' is the clean, crisp gallery wall that makes everything around it look better. Pure white pea flowers on fragrant spikes, opening from the bottom up. MINIMALIST. EXPENSIVE-LOOKING. SMELLS AMAZING.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Lupinus 'Gallery White'
• Common Name: Lupine
• Height: 45–60 cm (18–24 in) in flower
• Spread: 30–45 cm (12–18 in)
• Flowers: Pure white, pea-like blooms packed onto upright, fragrant spikes that open from the bottom up
• Bloom Time: Early to midsummer (June to July), with a smaller second flush possible after deadheading
• Foliage: Bright green, palm-shaped leaves in a tidy, bushy clump
• Features: Fragrant, good for cutting

Where to Plant: Use it in the front or middle of a sunny border, in cottage gardens, or in a group of three to five for a clean white accent. White spikes glow at dusk, so it works near a patio or path you use in the evening, and the flowers are good for cutting.

Companion Plants: Plant 'Gallery White' in a sunny or part-shade bed with a pink peony, lavender-blue spikes and mountain mint. Paeonia 'Alexander Fleming' opens big pink double peonies at 75 to 90 cm in May and June. Veronica Magic Show® 'Ever After' adds lavender-blue spikes at 36 to 41 cm in June and July. Pycnanthemum muticum brings silvery mountain mint at 60 to 90 cm from July to September. Panicum Prairie Winds® 'Apache Rose' stands behind at 120 cm, upright and grey-green.

Plant Care: Plant it in full sun to light shade, in well-drained soil that's neutral to slightly acidic. Lupines don't want rich soil or heavy feeding. Wet, heavy clay in winter is their main enemy, so improve drainage or plant on a slight rise. Water through the first season, then only during long dry spells. Lupines grow a long taproot, so pick the spot carefully and don't plan to move or divide it. Cut the faded spikes back to encourage a smaller second round, or leave one or two to drop seed so new plants can replace older ones. Lupines are often short-lived, and self-sown seedlings keep a patch going. Watch for aphids on the stems in early summer and hose them off. Cut the foliage back in late fall.

History: The Gallery Series is a seed-grown strain of dwarf hybrid lupines, offered in a range of single colours and bred for shorter, sturdier spikes. The genus name comes from the Latin lupus, wolf, from an old belief that lupines robbed the soil, when in fact they work with soil bacteria to fix nitrogen.

Final Thoughts: Pair it with darker lupines and you've curated a whole exhibit. Cut a few stems for the house. THE CRITICS ARE RAVING.