Moon Gardens

Images: Zinnias, hosta, dianthus, dusty miller, weigela, phlox, and a mix of cleome, nicotina and hosta.

Most late summer and fall days are called "Dog Days of Summer." Referring to it being so hot the dog just lays in the shade and sleeps. Although this year hasn't been hot, have no fear this year is the exception.

Along with the heat, many of our beautiful summer flowers have ended their bloom period. Your yard may be hot - bare - boring.

This is where WHITE comes into play in the garden. All of the pictured flowers are currently blooming in my yard. With some planning, you can have a white garden in the fall (plus spring & summer) that brings a cool and soothing view.

A "Moon Garden" is white (or light) flowers that show up at night AND have fragrance at night. If your bed is located near a patio or porch, the evenings are wonderfully fragrant and you can see the flowers at bloom although it's evening.

A few well placed solar lights or candles burning in your beds may also throw just enough light to really make the flowers pop.

Here are some suggestions for a white garden (all are perennials unless (A) for annual (B) biennial & (F) fragrant.) Most annuals will bloom from early summer until frost:

Fall Bloomers: Phlox "David" (F) - Hosta "plantogeana" (F) - Garlic Chives "Allium tuberosum" - Aster pilosus "Frost" - Clematis vine "Sweet Autumn" - Daucus carota "Queen Anne's Lace" - Sedum "Pink Chablis" - Turtlehead "Chelone glabra" - Hydrangeas Bush "Little Lamb".

Summer Bloomers: Clematis vine "Gillian Blades" - Coneflower "White Swan" - Daisy "Shasta" - Spotted deadnettle leaves - Rose "Alba" (F) - Lamb's Ear leaves - Dusty Miller leaves (A) - "Gooseneck" Loosestrife - Dianthus "White" - Yarrow "Achillea millefolium" - Baby's Breath (A) - Moonflower (A) - Impatien (A) - Cleome "White Queen" (A) - Petuna "Blanket White" (A) - Zinnia (A) - Oriental lilies "Casa Blanca" (F) - Astilbe "Bridal Veil" - Liatris "Alba" - Dahlia "Eternal Snow" (A) - Caladium "White Christmas" (A) - Begonia Baby Wing "White" (A) - Nicotiana "Alata" (F-A) - Datura "Belle Blanche" (A-F) - Mock Orange bush "White Sensation" (F) - Viburnum bush "Summer Snowflake".

Spring Bloomers: Bleeding Heart "Alba" - Columbine "Dove" - tulip "Mondial" - Lily of the Valley (F) - Peony "Festiva Maxima" (F) - Poppy "Louvre" - Narcissus "Misty Glen" - Asiatic Lilie "Endless Love" - Anemone "Sylvestris" - Iris "Immortality".

This list is only a few of the many selections for a white garden. There are several white blooming bushes (such as weigela) and a Korean Fir that has white on the curled end needles. If a plant is labeled "alba" it will be white.

Seldom are the leaves of any plant pure white because they need the green (photosynthesis) to live. The many dual colored leaves do bring light to the beds. Some varieties of flowers have near whites (daylilies) and others have white with a touch of another color. Some blues will have a frosty or silver color that enhances or accents a white garden.

White flowers need to have a dark contrast to stand out, especially at night. Dark green leaves will make an almost black background at night. One suggestion is a background of dark pines. Most wood mulch turns a silver color over time. Placing the plants close together keeps the wood chips from glowing at night.

Although I may be the only person who finds the constant sound of artificially circulating water distracting, many folks find a water feature perfect for the moon garden. A white birdbath helps attracts birds and butterflies to your fragrant flowers.

"A starry night, the fragrance of sweet flowers, layers of white flowers glowing in the moon light" - aw yes, sweet summertime, summertime. And fall and then perhaps spring - aw yes!