For those of us who do the daily 9-5 grind, we’ll be spending most of our time in the garden in the evenings after work. There are some beautiful and delicate flowers that come to life in the evenings, releasing their fragrances as well as having their flowers enhanced by the glow of the moon.
You may find them referred to as ‘Moon Gardens’ once the sun has gone down, with well curated scented planting around a patio or seating area, as well as incorporating light and white flowers in your field of view. Night-scented stock, Dianthus and Evening Primrose release their scent once the sun has gone down in order to attract nocturnal pollinators such as moths.
Colours that work best in dust and moon gardens are white, cream, grey and silvery blue. Fatsia Japonica (Spiders Web) not only glows come dusk, but its star shaped leaves mimic the sky above on clear nights. Variegated hostas, such as Francee and Patriot, will seem to have glowing edges and stripes for dramatic effect.
If you’re looking for more than just a few twinkling white flowers at night-time, white lobelia allows for a frothy show of ground cover. You can even use white gravel or pebbles amongst your planting or to fill a garden path (it will also make it easier to safely meander through your garden in the evenings).
Make things even more magical with ambient solar lighting. Fairy lights can be draped over a patio seating area or woven atop your fence but resist the temptation to string them around trees – you’ll be unlikely to get an effective charge from the sun if the solar panel is shaded by the tree’s canopy. The gentle trickle of a water feature can further heighten a sense of relaxation… the perfect antidote to a long day at work.