Moonlight Gardens There's something magical about gardens that come to life after dark, but you don't need to be a wizard to create one! Moonlight gardens are easily made, using plants which release their fragrance when the sun goes down, or with white or pale-coloured flowers or foliage, which have a luminescent quality at dusk and in moonlight.
I'll show you how to create a moonlight garden with light-reflective and fragrant plants to surround your pergola, for a multi-sensory experience.
The allure of plants carefully chosen to shine under the stars is truly special.
I'm not making a revolutionary discovery with this idea, however - the Victorians were mad about moonlight gardens, and in the early twentieth century Vita Sackville-West planted her famous white garden at Sissinghurst to be enjoyed after dark as well as in sunlight.
Hydrangea 'Anabelle', physostegia and veronicastrum in the White Garden at Sissinghurst You don't need to recreate Sissinghurst to enjoy the ethereal beauty of a well-planted moonlight garden.
When planning your summer borders and pots, simply keep in mind which plants will look good bathed in moonlight or release their scent in the evening.
Think about placing plants so that the leaves and flowers of one contrast in shape and size with those nearby.
And remember that the more fragrant the flowers are, the more they will be noticed in the stillness of the night.
For example, the elegant white trumpets of the longiflorum lily make an ideal companion to the petals of white roses.
White begonias are a great neighbour for blue-leafed hosta or white impatiens.
Grey-green, variegated green and white, or silver-leaved plants like convolvulus cneorum which reflect the dim light of the moon, make effective night-time companions to white and cream blossoms.
A must-have flower for any moonlight garden is Ipomoea alba, also known as 'moonflower'.
From early summer to late autumn, this aptly-named flower blooms at dusk and closes at dawn.
Plant it at the foot of your pergola so it can wend its way upwards on its tendrils, surrounding you with luminous flowers on summer evenings.
To extend the enjoyment of your moonlight garden into the autumn, you must try Acidanthera, officially known as Gladiolus Callianthus.
The magical waft of its intense perfume on early autumn evenings is unforgettable and makes it a worthy addition.
Just a warning, though: the leaves emerge from their corms so late in the summer you might give up all hope of them ever arriving! The flower stalks swiftly follow in September, bearing a succession of white blooms on tall spikes.
Planted in the beds around your pergola, you'll want to sit out in the moonlight well into autumn to enjoy this fabulous flower.
Here are some more of my favourite plants suited to moonlight: Climbers Rosa Iceberg Clematis recta Jasminum officinale Annuals Night scented stock Hesperis matronalis - sweet scented rocket Nicotiana alata and sylvestris Oenothera caespitosa - evening primrose Cosmos 'Purity' Perennials Convolvulus cneorum Paeonias - white Foxgloves - white Hydrangea 'Anabelle' Lilium regale Artemisia Euonymus 'Emerald Gaeity' Lavandula Alba Dahlia White Perfection Convovulus cneorum To enhance your after-dark garden experience, consider placing solar lights in the darkest reaches of the garden.
The fragrance of plants at the far end of the garden won't reach you in your pergola, but solar lights will allow you to enjoy your whole garden visually at night time.
You could also add a couple of lanterns to your pergola to bathe the area in atmospheric candlelight.
Good luck creating your moonlight garden! By Adrian Valentine August 20th 2013