The white picket fence is one of the most indelible pieces of garden imagery of modern times. It’s a truly versatile, universal signifier of a well-kept landscape that appears on countless lawns and gardens around the world. The pristine white tones contrast perfectly with earthy greens and bold colors, making for a match made in heaven when it comes to thoughtful landscaping ideas. It’s a blank canvas upon which you can project your best work.

Because there are so many ways to incorporate a white fence into your landscape, we’ve shared a collection of some of our favorite ideas. Decorating and integrating a white fence within your garden is an easy, effortlessly attractive way to spruce up any garden; the images shared here will show you just how it can be done!

Our first idea is pictured below. We see a burst of bright pink roses creeping up and over the fence, spilling greenery through the slats.

Climbing roses make for great white fence companions, wrapping and hanging onto the structure as they do.

Here’s a particularly striking example of how to frame and complement your white fence. Bursting with a wild contrast of colors, we have sage, speedwell, and catmint creating a bed upon which tall pink roses stand. Towering over the lower plants and standing out amongst the expanse of white fencing, the roses pair perfectly with the lush green and purple hues concealing the lower half of the fence.

This image shows a close focus view of magenta petunias crowding against a simple white fence. The low rise fence is backed by a series of large pots holding the petunias, allowing for the flowers to be moved on a whim, and a diverse set of arrangements to be shown throughout the seasons.

Sunflowers are another iconic gardening image. Placed side by side with a white picket fence, and you have a stunning, classical portrait of modern landscaping. The immense, bright flowers will tower above nearly any fence, leaving the green, leafy stalks to form a verdant background to the high contrast white fencing. This creates a thickly veiled border to any yard, without the imposing presence of a tall fence.

Speaking of high contrast, white fences do best when squaring off against a multitude of bold colors. Tulips can be the perfect solution for adding a galaxy of color to any garden, as they absolutely pop against the neutral white of the fence. As we see here, layers of purple, orange, yellow, and pink bulbs make for a brilliant backdrop to a simple, low-slung white picket fence.

This adorable miniature white picket fence borders a lush garden filled with greenery and bursting with pansy viola flowers. The bright, multi-colored blooms act as a perfect foil for the white fencing, adding detail, texture, and visual complexity to the overall picture.

White Fence Tropical Croton Plants

Crowding against this modern white fence is a large burst of purple hydrangeas, surrounding the posts and toppling over with large warm-hued bursts. The large colorful blooms are a nice counterpoint to the thin white lines of the fencing, securing a warm and inviting look while providing privacy.

Daisies are another traditional favorite, valued for their optimistic brightness of bloom, standing proudly yellow against a sea of green. Filling a garden and pressing densely against this arrow-top white picket fence, the simple color combination of green, white, and bold yellow makes for a pleasantly timeless appearance.

Here’s a rustic-look old fashioned white picket fence, surrounding a lush and thickly populated garden. A gang of various colorful flowers line the lower edge of the fence, adding detail and visual appeal to the fading white posts. This look masks the point at which the fence touches the ground, allowing for it to organically rise from the growth.