The influence of others can help us in many ways. A glimmer of hope can be seen when before we only saw despair. Encouragement in the form of a smile can change the trajectory of one’s day. Others can help us see things from a different perspective. Annie, my puppy, has helped me see the beauty in darkness. We spend time each evening, well after the sun has set, outside. While in the past, I would have spent that time staring at a screen, I now stare at the beauty nature has to offer under the stars.
Moonlight gardens are those gardens which are designed to show off textures, colors, silhouettes and fragrances from dusk until dawn. All of this is achieved without artificial lighting. It is through the combination of plants and inanimate objects that a moon garden comes alive. Spending time in a moon garden engages the senses and refreshes the soul.
One of the most famous Moonlight Gardens was constructed near the Taj Mahal. Named Mehtab Bagh, the garden was constructed in the early 1500s by Emperor Babur. The garden consisted of pools, fountains, fruit trees, daffodils, pavilions and white plaster walkways. Benjamin Poore designed one of the earliest recorded moon gardens in the United States almost 200 years ago. It was located in Massachusetts and consisted of lilacs, foxgloves, lilies, candytuft and flowering almonds.
Flowers that work well in moonlight gardens are those which have one of the following attributes; white flowers, fragrant flowers or silvery foliage. Both perennial and annual flowers planted either in the ground or in containers are appropriate. Vines will add vertical interest. Ornamental grasses add the feeling of movement. Shrubs and trees add necessary structure. These plants tend to work well in moonlight gardens.
Annual Flowers
Mad About Mangave Moonglow(Mangave ‘Moonglow’)
Steady as She Goes Gardenia(Gardenia jasminoides ‘Prince Charles’)
Angel Wings Senecio(Senecio candicans ‘Senaw’)
Moonlight Caladium (Caladium bulb)
Moonflowers (Ipomoea alba)
Four O’Clocks, Mirabilis jalapa
Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana alat)
Spanish Lavender (Lavandula steochas)
Perennial Flowers
Hope Springs Eternal Hosta (Hosta ‘Hope Springs Eternal’)
Pandora’s Box Hosta (Hosta ‘Pandora’s Box’)
Blue Moon Phlox (Phlox divaricata ‘Blue Moon’)
White Yarrow (Achillea millefolium ‘Balvinwite’ New Vintage White Yarrow)
Snowdrop Anemone (Anemone sylvestris)
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Cleopatra Coneflower (Echinacea ‘Cleopatra’)
Evening Primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa)
White Gayfeather (Liatris spicata ‘Floristan White’)
Decadence ‘Vanilla Cream’ Baptisia (Baptisia ‘Vanilla Cream’)
Nettle (Lamium maculatum ‘White Nancy’)
Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina ‘Silver Carpet’)
Thundercloud Stonecrop (Sedum ‘Thundercloud’)
Variegated Spurge (Pachysandra terminalis ‘Variegata’)
Festiva Maxima Peony (Paeonia ‘Festiva Maxima’)
Minnie Pearl Hybrid Phlox (Phlox x ‘Minnie Pearl’)
Ornamental Grasses
Carousel Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Carousel’)
Blue Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’)
Piglet Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Piglet’)
Vines
Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora)
First Editions Summer Cascade Wisteria (Wisteria macrostachya ‘Betty Mathews’)
Scentsation Honeysuckle Vine (Lonicera periclymenum ‘Scentsation’)
Shrubs
Low Scape Mound Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa ‘UCONNAM165’)
Spice Baby Viburnum (Viburnum carlesii ‘SMVCB’)
Birchleaf Spirea (Spiraea betulifolia ‘Tor’)
White Knock Out Rose (Rosa ‘Radwhite’)
Bella Bianca Potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa ‘Hachbianca’)
First Editions Snow White Mock Orange (Philadelphus ‘Snow White Fantasy’)
Moonrock Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Kolmakilima’)
Trees
Japanese Tree Lilac (Syringa reticulata ‘Ivory Silk’)
Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea ‘Autumn Brilliance’)
Choosing plants that bloom at different times of the season can create a successive blooming palate. Whether you visit the garden in early April or late October, there should be something that catches your eye.
In addition to plants, hardscape structures can be incorporated in moonlight gardens. The structure of the garden can be enhanced through interesting planters. Ordinary clay pots can be whitewashed to create a luminous appearance. Trellises add height and form a sturdy structure on which to grow fragrant vines. Paths can be created using flagstone which will add structure and functionality.
Whether you seek refuge, meditation, or like me are dragged outside by a four-legged creature, I hope that you have the serene opportunity to spend time in a moonlight garden.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
