Planting a Moon Garden

The moon has always made you gaze in wonder at its mystique. The romantic in you has idolized the night sky like many poets ahead of you. Witches, emperors, and peasants have looked to the moon for direction. Calendars and almanacs follow its phases; farmers navigate the planting season by its clockwork. Moon gardens offer romantic atmosphere with night blooms and saccharine scents glowing after twilight. These ten tips will make the process of planting a moon garden less mysterious.

Locate for privacy. Choose location carefully. Curbside is no place for a serene moon garden. Hidden away behind the house, or at least a fence, you can dig your toes into the grass at twilight and watch your garden light up just for you and whomever you invite inside.

Discover the plants that are viable in your area. Consider the time you can devote to your garden. Climate greatly affects compatibility with your plants; plants can be high maintenance if planted in less than favorable conditions. Some will require more watering, others more sunlight. Some are annuals, some are perennials. A flourishing garden yields a large return of joy to its caretaker. Local nurseries are a good place to turn for advice about plants, soil, and planting.

Design around a focal point. Define your style and your garden by deciding on a focal point. A peaceful pond, a trickling fountain, or a trellis trailing with roses can offer your garden visual interest. Design around their size, their shape, and their color. Choose a feature that you love and cascade its style throughout the garden. A marble statue, for instance, could be matched with marble containers, stepping stones, or bench.

Choose foliage according to color and texture. White blossoms are the staple of a moon garden. Smooth leaves reflect moonlight and make nearby blossoms appear more vivid. Plants with gray and light-colored foliage play harmoniously well with white of moonblossoms, caladiums, or daffodils.

Find fragrant flowers. Provide your own aromatherapy with the most fragrant flowers. Since the main function of these is perfume, choose these in any color that you like. Some of the most fragrant are roses, lilies, and lavender.

Shrubbery and trees have a lot to offer. Carefully placed, shrubs and trees can offer shade and privacy. They also offer a plethora of ways to please the senses. From the branch of a languid willow to the erect mimosa, the sweet smell of mulberries to the tart of limes, the scarlet blooms of crape myrtles to the white magnolia, trees and shrubs are an asset to any landscaping venture.

Use beautiful containers. Plant your amazing azaleas in colorful ceramic pottery or an old claw foot tub. In comparison, a standard planter does not add much to the beauty of your garden.

Make the walkway a part of the design. Lead garden visitors through your garden with a defined path. A path makes the walk safer and easier. Paths also lend to your style. You don't have to settle for a pristine concrete sidewalk. You can opt for path made of stamped (and/or stained) concrete, brick, shale, or various types of stepping stones.

Light up to entertain. Lights draped from trees are staked along the path of the walkway are perfect for entertaining guests. Candles add to the romance. There are many stylish choices out there, including solar lights that cut down on energy costs. Shop around and don't settle for the first tulip-shaped lamp that comes along. Buy what you love.