Ideas for Planning a Halloween Garden

For some of us, Halloween is a national holiday and Christmas rolled into one. Enthusiasts -- who would normally opt for a vegetable or butterfly garden -- decide that they want ideas for Halloween garden planning. Is it possible to grow a themed yard? Of course! In fact, a Halloween garden can be any bit as colorful as other types of yard themes. What is more, whimsically themed garden stakes allow for the placement of quick atmosphere enhancers -- should some plants take longer than anticipated to grow. Getting started it simple.

Choose Night Bloomers

Night-flowering plants are a great idea for the Halloween garden. The Colorado State University identifies Evening Primrose, Angel's Trumpet and Yucca. Other plants are famous for being the most fragrant during the night hours. Examples include the August Lily and the Night Gladiolus.

White Foliage and Petals

The "Armour White" Verbena hybrid is a good choice for sprawling flower beds. The "Moonraker" hybrid of the Cape Fuchsia does well in hanging baskets around the porch and near windows. Lamb's Ears feature silky soft leaves and can handle California watering restrictions, while the "White Christmas" Caladium hybrid adds size to the landscape. Offset the white blooms with red-tipped Blood Grass, yellow Witch-hazel and Spilanthes Extract.

A Word on Gourds

Gourds are to Halloween what pasta is to Italy. Harvested gourds become instant Halloween garden decorations, while the colorful flowers, vines and growing pumpkins add splashes of color among flower beds with white blooms. The Texas Gourd Society highlights the need for ample space, plenty of irrigation and a slightly acidic soil.

Make good use of the long stretches along the fence and the sides of the house or outdoor structures. Start the gourd garden early, since some varieties take about 140 days to mature. For a larger Halloween garden, grow a number of different types of gourds that will ripen at intervals.

Should I plant black flowers?

Do not plant black flowers unless you have time and resources for planning a garden that plays their dark coloring against the lighter blossoms of white-petal flora. By the way, there are few -- if any -- truly black flowers on the market. If you do want to go black, grow blackberries and include some eggplants into your gardening setup.

Use Flower Pots for Oddities

If you are thinking of including some oddities when planning the garden, factor in the time of Halloween and your climate. Wintery temperatures can kill even the hardiest of plants, and if your locale is prone to late October frosts and snowfall, it may be best to plant some of the tenderer flora in pots. Examples include Black Mondo Grass, Bat Flowers or a patch of Venus Fly Traps.

Halloween Garden Decorations

Plain wooden garden stakes are the easy choice for a Halloween garden. Fancier items include wrought-iron patio furniture and driftwood decorations. Harvested gourds allow for the annual creation of new ornaments.

Who knew that planning a Halloween garden could be this simple?

Sources

Colorado State University: "The Night Shift"

Texas Gourd Society: "Growing Gourds"

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