Are you busy throughout the day and wish you had more time to spend relaxing in your garden? Well now you can prepare your garden to enjoy it at nighttime. Planning a nighttime garden is the same as you would plan any other type of garden. Not only would you plan for color and scent but don't forget some lighting and other features.

The evening garden

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The evening garden : flowers and fragrance from dusk till dawn

written and illustrated by Peter Loewer.

Portland, Or. : Timber Press, 2002.

Peter Loewer's "The Evening Garden is an exciting revelation of the delights to be found in a garden that is planned and planted for evening enjoyment, from nightbloomers to fragrant orchids and wildflowers. This is an indispensable book for any gardener who plans to venture out to the garden after sundown--or who just likes to read about it.

Pale colored flowers like white and pale yellow, blue and purple can reflect light and glow through the evening. Use dark foliage to bring the colorful flowers forward.

Scented plants such as Moon Flower respond to changes in light levels and temperature as they bloom and emit their fragrance into the night.

Lighting can have a dramatic effect on your garden. Small fairy lights set the right tone after the sun goes down. Solar lights are easy to set up to highlight a path.

Adding a water feature provides movement and a soothing sound that can block out other outside noises. Whether it's a small or large water feature set it up where it can catch the reflection of the moon.

You know when it's getting dark as the nocturnal insects and bugs start appearing. The moths are attracted to the flowers you have already planted. Notice their different markings as they flutter around. Catch fireflies and be sure to release them back into nature after a short while.

Now night owls, like you, can enjoy relaxing in your own backyard, even in the dark.

Article by: St. Louis Public Library staff