Relax in your own moon garden, designed to maximize the effect of the moonlight.
You can create your own little oasis by planting very fragrant blooms, silver leaves, white Rose of Sharon flowers, and plants whose flowers only open at night in the form of a moon garden. Creating a sensory garden as lovely as this one is simple.
In a moon garden, you can use annuals, grasses, trees, perennials, and shrubs, among other types of plants.
Spotlights on specimen plants, pots that glow in the dark, gazing balls, and strings of lights are great additions to a garden. But feel free to experiment with other types of garden lighting as well.
Use white rocks if you want your walkways or beds to glow in the dark. Add a pond or water feature full of croaking bullfrogs close to your moon garden to create a tranquil atmosphere.
Here are tips for starting your moon garden
Moonlight garden design
You can create a beautiful moon garden without covering the entire lawn. Even the smallest patio alcoves or backyard nooks can create a night garden. This provides an intimate setting for social wine tasting or private contemplation.
Select a site.
Put the moon garden in a convenient location, or at least somewhere you can see it from the house’s interior, porch, or patio.
- Keep in mind how light and shadow can work together to add mystery and charm.
- To enjoy the night sky and the moonlight, pick a dark, open spot.
Mix in some hardscaping elements in addition to the plants. It can be as basic or complex as you want and the available space allows.
Accessories.
Use reflective objects like metallic wall art or a gazing ball in the room or brightly colored statues like stone lanterns, Buddhas, or cherubs.
Seating.
Set up a comfortable bench or chair in the garden so that you can fully enjoy the area. Put a solar lantern or votive candle on the table for soft lighting and ambiance.
Pathways.
For your own protection, make sure all pathways are well-lit at night. Demarcate walkways using light-colored flagstone or white gravel. Include some soft artificial lighting, such as solar lights.
Lighting.
When the moon isn’t out or it’s cloudy, you should install some extra lights. It should be kept low to not compete with the moon’s illumination. Use string lights to illuminate a fence or patio. Light up the trees with lanterns or candles.
Hardscaping.
White marble chips, flagstone, and pebbles are examples of light-colored stones that you can use to greatly affect landscaping. By putting up a white lattice or painting a white background wall, you can support vines and hide ugly walls.
Engage your senses.
Use bamboo or ornamental grasses to create a soft rustling sound in the evening air.
- Encourage nighttime noisemakers like frogs and crickets by establishing a natural habitat.
- Select fragrant night bloomers and place them close to the seating.
- The senses of sound, smell, and sight should all be stimulated.
- The soft trickling of water from a small waterfall or fountain complements the moon’s glow.
Extending the theme
A string of twinkling lights hung to represent the stars, crescent-shaped planting beds, plants with star-shaped flowers, and moon- and star-shaped accessories are all great ways to highlight the heavenly theme. Put up some mental effort and enjoy yourself.
The best time to enjoy a moon garden is in the evening, when the sun has set and the day’s heat has dissipated. Those who spend the day away from home can benefit greatly from a stroll through a beautiful garden in the evening.
Why is it called the Moon Garden?
Simply put, a moon garden is any outdoor space designed to be visited after dark. White or pastel flowers that only open at night, fragrant plants that only bloom at night, and interestingly shaped or colored leaves are all essential elements of moon gardens.
When the moon is shining, light-colored night-blooming plants will stand out dramatically. Here are a few examples of great white flowers for moon gardens:
- Night-blooming jasmine
- Sweet Autumn Clematis
- Nicotiana
- Petunia
- Cleome
- Brugmansia
- Moonflower
- Mock orange
Sweet Autumn clematis, petunias, and Night-blooming jasmine are just a few examples of plants that serve double duty in moon garden designs. They reflect moonlight and emit a lovely aroma.
The scent can entice bats and moths, which cross pollinate at night. However, their calming effect in moon gardens is a pleasant side effect.
Moon gardens benefit from variegated hosta, Blue fescue, Artemisia, and juniper for their reflective foliage and the fascinating textures and shapes they bring to the garden.
What is a twilight garden?
A twilight garden’s sights, smells, and sounds are unlike anything else. Several simple techniques exist for transforming your garden from a daylight oasis into a mystical evening retreat.
First, make sure there are plenty of places to sit. Get some garden benches if you still need some.
The best place for a moon garden
The first step in creating a moon garden is picking the perfect spot. The design of a moon garden doesn’t need to be complex, and it can range from a wide expanse of land to a little flowerbed.
Moon gardens are typically close to a large window, porch, or deck. This will let you experience the garden’s sights, sounds, and fragrances while relaxing in the garden.
To avoid having the garden look like a dark hole in the ground, it is important that you pick a location where the plants will receive either artificial lighting or moonlight.
You may need to devote a few evenings to observing the moon’s path across your garden when you plan to use your moon garden.
Consider where the moon shines brightest and how it will cast shadows on your landscape. The shadows cast by plants with unusual shapes can also make the moon garden more interesting.
What flowers to plant for a moon garden?
There are a wide variety of white flowers suitable for a moon garden. Flowers like lupines, calla lilies, moonflower vines, white bleeding heart, white creeping phlox, Shasta daisy, lilacs, climbing white hydrangea, fake orange, angel’s trumpet, candytuft, and Sweet alyssum.
You shouldn’t overlook bulbs such as summer snowflakes, snowdrops, and white daffodils.
Why are moon flowers special?
Moonflowers, like nocturnal creatures, are active only at night. Only when the moon is out do these rare plants open their petals. Moonflowers are only an inch or two wide during the day, but at night they expand into a stunning 6- or 7-inch-long flower.
Easy-care Plants of the moonflower kind require minimal care other than regular watering and placement in full light. To produce its stunning flowers, the moon vine requires just three things:
- The soil should be healthy and well-drained, with plenty of compost added.
- Plenty of sunshine, preferably direct sunlight
- Adequate watering, consisting of one deep soak per week
If you want your moonflowers to bloom sooner, some experts suggest keeping them in a small pot. Other gardeners glue them together with peat moss pellets. It’s totally up to you and your own tastes. The moonflower is just as happy in a huge container as it is on the ground.
Benefits of a Moon Garden
Given your busy schedule, a moon garden is a great way to add beauty to your garden while giving you some time to relax and enjoy nature.
You no longer have to wait until the weekend to enjoy your gardens or take advantage of the last few daylight hours before nightfall.
You can obtain the peaceful garden meditations you need before starting a new day if you have a moon garden. This is because it allows you to admire your garden every night of the week.
Bees, bats, and moths are just some evening pollinators that can benefit from moon gardens. Stroll through your moon garden after dark to take in the hum of insects and the brilliant patterns on the moths’ wings as they sparkle in the moon’s light.
Designing your small moon garden
If you need help with landscaping, such as designing your garden, deciding which flowers would be best for a moon garden, or installing a water feature, you should contact a local landscaper. A professional landscaper can put it in your moon garden if you don’t have a green thumb.
