Plant a Moon Garden for Those Romantic Nights that Lie Ahead

Most gardens are best viewed in sunlight, when the heat is on and the traffic is booming but what about those summer nights? Moon gardens are special places that are designed to be viewed in the evening when the moon is high. Start planning and planting now for a terrific moon garden for the many romantic summer nights that lay ahead.

Although it sounds almost mystical a moon garden simply consists of mostly white flowering plants and night blooming beauties. Silvery leaves adorn the foliage and the moonlit sky creates a garden that seems to glow in the dark. It's hypnotic luminescence is the perfect place to steal a kiss, share a good bottle of wine, or simply relax and unwind after a long hot day.

Moon gardens are as attractive by day as they are at night, so why not have the best of both worlds growing in your personal garden or on your patio?

Moon gardens if planned correctly can provide night time beauty throughout the spring and fall as well as the summer, making sitting around that old fire pit on cooler evenings an even more enjoyable experience. Choose white blooming, annual and perennial flowers, and showy trees and shrubs with staggered bloom times for seasons long effects.

Low voltage lighting, such as solar powered lamps, or garden orbs, can add to the luminous look, and will help to illuminate your private space on moonless nights, but they are not necessary for the enjoyment of your moon garden. A water fountain works well here too. The sound of the running water adds a peaceful quality to the night air, but again this isn't a necessity.

You might also want to add some white or light colored garden statuary to the landscape's night time appeal. These figurines really come alive in the moonlight and reflect even more light onto your moon garden.

Be sure to include a comfortable seating area for yourself and a loved one in order to enjoy the view. Your seating area can be as extravagant as a cushioned love seat, a double swing, a couple of garden chairs or even as simple as a patch of grass where a soft blanket can be spread out on the ground.

Choosing Plants for a Moon Garden

When choosing plants for your moon garden, think white. White reflects even the tiniest bit of available light in the night sky, or from a nearby street light. Shasta daisies and white Zinnias both have long flowering seasons and make good Moon garden choices as well as white Impatiens, Petunias and Begonias Most popular home grown flowers are available in varying shades of white which makes choosing your own personal favorites easy. Don't forget to add a few trellis climbers to your moon garden, such as white or lightly colored Roses and Clematis as well.

Along with white flowers, you will want to plant some silvery foliage to add a bit of interest. Artemisia, Lamb's Ears, and Dusty Miller are all good choices as well as Elijah Blue Fescue grass, which will also shimmer in the moonlight.

White flowering bushes, shrubs and trees will finish the effect. Think about white Azaleas, flowering Dog Wood and Crape Myrtle as accent plants throughout your yard.

Along with all the white flowering plants you will want to add a few night bloomers as well, such as Four O'Clocks and Evening Primrose. Some varieties of Cactus are night bloomers as well. Cactus should only be permanently planted outdoors if your climate allows for its healthy growth.

Include some fragrant varieties of plants to finish off the romantic ambiance of your secluded little Moon garden. White varieties of flowering tobacco will make a good choice as well as Night Jasmine or some fragrant herbs.

You can easily see that when it comes to creating your own personal moon garden your choices are nearly endless and none of them will be wrong.

Start planning and planting your moon garden today. Those sensual summer nights are right around the corner!