How to Create a Stunning Moon Garden!

Do you know what a Moon Garden is?

Let’s begin by saying that most gardens are enjoyed in the daylight.  Moon gardens are planted to be enjoyed in the evening hours.  They are filled with plants that will reflect the moonlight and are highly fragranced especially in the evening hours.  With more people working all day, Moon Gardens make a lot of sense. Everyone can get outdoors and enjoy the beauty!

So what are the steps I need to get a beautiful Moon Garden?

First and foremost is to make a space that you will enjoy in the evening.  This could be a patio, deck or some corner of your garden that is open to receiving moonlight.  If you have huge trees in your yard, you may decide to provide your own lighting for the evenings.  That is totally acceptable in a Moon Garden. Hanging some lovely lights in your trees or bushes, will surely make your garden a magical place in the evenings.  Many of those lights are readily available from places like Amazon and your local hardware stores.  There are many, many choices and ultimately whatever you choose will be beautiful I’m sure.

If you are planning on entertaining in your yard, I would like to suggest that you concentrate on some path lighting as well as overhead lighting. Evenings in the garden can be a little more dangerous when you can’t see readily. So lighting the footpaths is important. You don’t want to twist your ankle unnecessarily.  Also lighting the footpaths will let you enjoy little critters like frogs and toads, or moths that come out and are attracted to the lights as well.

Plants for your Moon Garden!

Let’s start with some plants that should be in your garden to maximize the light from the moon and stars!

Most of the plants you will have in the garden will be white or light blue.  Both of these will reflect the light of the moon and make your garden a magical place in the evening. So let’s start figuring out what to plant.  You want to plant some bushes and vines to give your Moon Garden some Borders.  One of the easiest bushes to grow is the Hydrangea.  The flowers that cover this bush look like great big snowballs!They are so nice and will reflect lots of light.  White Dogwoods are also beautiful trees that shine in the night too. Clematis Vines are beautiful too and can be grown up through a tree for added flowering power.  These are all great for plants to look up to and draw your eyes to the sky.  But there are more at eye level too!

Eye Level Plants

Moving a little lower there are white peonies, white roses, several species of white grasses and light green with white Hostas make an inviting display.  Mix in some annuals that are highly scented and you will have a Moon Garden, worthy of praise and beauty.  Annuals like Evening Scented Stocks (they come in white) or Brugmansia (sometimes an annual sometimes all year round depending on where you live), Moonflower (morning glory that blooms at night), Wisteria, a blooming vine that is highly fragrant in spring, Tuberose a bulb that can be planted outdoors but must be lifted in zones less than 8.  Nicotania is another annual that just smells divine and night blooming jasmine.  Datura and 4 O’Clocks are other favorites in the Moon Garden.

Ground Cover Plants

Lamiums and Alyssums hug the ground tightly and will again reflect any light that hits their little flowers.  This is the place where Moon Ray type lights will also cast a beautiful glow on the ground area, bathing it in soft light.  Use these plants to border your walkways for added definition and fun.

Not all your plants have to be white, but the lighter colored plants will reflect the moonlight much better than the reds and purples. These tend to  look almost black at night, unless they are bathed in some type of artificial lighting.   While their color won’t be manifested as well in a Moon Garden, the scents will still be enjoyed.
Many of these plants are available through Amazon as well. Just for your comfort and enjoyment, I have selected a few for you.

You can also buy these from your local greenhouses and garden centers.

Please note that not all of these plants are winter hardy.  Much will depend on your gardening zone.  But all will grow for you for one summer season for sure.

For your convenience, I have included a Zone Map just in case you are not sure what gardening zone you are in.  Using this link, you can find your zone, and it is an interactive site!  So worthwhile to keep as a resource for your gardening experiences!

My Favorites!

I must confess,  I love gardening of all kinds.  That means that I love my bushes and perennials as much as I love my annuals.  So to that end, I do have a list of plants that I love to have in my garden and they will be there every year.  They are tried and true, bloom well and smell incredible.  They also attract birds, butterflies, and critters, all kinds.

Butterfly Bush because it is beautiful, flowers constantly and attracts a wide range of butterflies and hummingbirds to my garden.  Moon Flower morning glories, these are a “must-have”, unlike regular morning glories (which are also in my garden), these bloom at night with huge white flowers that are scented to the nth degree! Brugmansia, I have had mine for over 10 years, but it requires lots of love.  In my area they are NOT hardy, so I take cuttings in the fall and overwinter them indoors. When all danger of frost is gone, they go back out into the garden.  Even though they are high maintenance, they are so worth it.  

**(This picture comes from AliExpress.com, this plant is currently not available.)

If you want to learn more about these plants,  I would suggest joining a Garden Club in your area.  I’m sure you will find people there that will sell or give you cuttings so that you can start your own.

Moon Gardens are Wonderful

If you can, please consider planting a Moon Garden.  Not only will you enjoy the outdoors much more, but you will soon find yourself enchanted with a garden at night. They are special spaces, made for your enjoyment.  Just think, you can enjoy your garden at all hours of the day or night.