Grow Your Own Moon Garden

In Southern California, residents are lucky enough to enjoy the warmer climate that allows for long nights out in the backyard or on a patio. Some people believe in a special connection between the moon and nature. The view of a red setting sun from a blossoming garden has called many to create a moon garden that can be enjoyed in all hours of the day.

Having such a backyard with night-blooming flowers, bright flowers, or a water feature offers a chance of relaxation to the busy suburbanite. Utilizing any of those elements, one could create an intricate moon garden or a simple patch. Consider the below options for your "moon garden," or for any landscape design.

How do I create a moon garden?

A moon garden is in all regards like a summer garden just with extra lighting or a different array of flowers. It isn’t about completely redesigning your current garden, but rather adding certain elements to make it function as both a day garden and a night garden. To best create a moon garden one must employ plants and designs that will withstand all seasons and always provide interest regardless of the time of day. When crafting a personal moon garden there are several things that could be done to transform an ordinary summer garden into something much more.

Adding more of one color flower, especially a brighter color, is an easy way to make a garden remarkable at both the daytime and nighttime. Even adding bright colors around focal points in the garden will further accent the center piece. Here are some examples of bright flowers that could accent your moon garden:

Yellow Flowers:

Lady Slippers
Yellow Violet
Golden Club
Buttercup
Lilly
Sunflower
Daisy

White Flowers:

Daisy
Narcissus
Lilium
Iberis-Candytuft
Angel’s Trumpet
Petunia

If planting an array of brightly colored flowers is less your style, then planting night-blooming flowers is also recommended. The difference between night-blooming flowers and day-blooming flowers is that they open their leaves and petals during the night and close them during the early hours of the morning. Instead of offering something to look at, night blooming flowers are more fragrant and present aromatherapy into the garden. Several night-blooming flowers that could be used in a moon garden are listed below:

• Moonflower: Heart-shaped leaves, 5-6 inch diameter, related to Morning Glory.

• Four O' Clocks: Blooms in the late afternoon, shrub, blossoms through fall.

• Yucca: Blooms all day, at night flowers release scent, ground plant.

• Flowering tobacco: Blossoms in the evening, blooms all year.

• Gardenia: Evergreen shrubs, blooms all year.

Planting any combination of these plants will lead you closer to having a personal moon garden. But simply planting flowers won't ensure the maximum effect of a moon garden until other factors are considered. Without sufficient light, flowers such as Gardenias or Buttercups cannot be enjoyed because they cannot be seen in the night. Strategic outdoor lighting placement will highlight the best features of your moon garden and better display the plants for all to see. Remember, though, that too much artificial light detracts from the natural look of a garden. Instead of ground lights, try placing a water feature such as a fountain or birdbath that has lights in it amidst plants. Think ahead and do some planning ahead of time - this way, your moon garden will be

Where should I place my moon garden?

The best place to plant a moon garden so as to enjoy it fully is in a place that low shrubs or trees would not block the flowers. If you can’t afford a light fixture to place among flowers then placing the garden near a window or a lamp post would work as well to provide light for the moon garden.

Also, it’s important to consider that since a moon garden is made to be viewed, it would be smart to consider placing your moon garden near the patio or area of the garden that is used frequently. In regards to which plant needs more sun or less sun, check the labels of each plant before planting them. Ask yourself is your moon garden more for viewing when you are outside or more of a garden to be viewed from a window or balcony.

Does a moon garden have anything to do with the actual moon and its phases?
Although gardening by the phases of the moon is an idea almost as old as gardening itself, a moon garden has very little to do with the actual moon. Many sites offer up info regarding their ideals about how planting by the phases of the moon can speed up the germination of planted seeds or that plants respond to the pull of the moon like the tides do. However, it is in your best interest to read up about gardening by the phases of the moon before actually planting.

I don't have the money to do a total makeover of my garden, what do you suggest?

Depending on your budget it would be best to buy in small pieces, and add on to your garden as time passes. Since creating a moon garden isn’t about completely re-designing your pre-existing garden then adding a few plants or lights every so often would not throw the garden out of balance or put a whole in your pocket. Also, this way within a few weeks you would be able to enjoy the allure of your own personal moon garden.

What if I don’t have enough room for a moon garden?

Simply placing night-blossoming flowers amongst your already planted shrubs or flowers is enough to create a moon garden. The moon garden is not a complete reinvention of your old garden, but rather adding more to make it two gardens in one. If you do not even have a garden then growing flowers in pots or containers on balconies or in windows is fine as well. AS long as the window gives light and is warm then a plant can grow there and a moon garden can be enjoyed.

Useful Sites:

Moon garden designs:
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/moon-garden/index.html
Moon garden flowers
http://uk.geocities.com/paganeagle2001/html/moon_garden_flowers.html

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