Expand Garden Time With A Moon Garden

2024 - Volume #48, Issue #2, Page #21

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If you’re looking for something different to grow this year, you may want to think “white” as you order seeds and plants. With “Moon Gardens,” gardeners can enjoy their outdoor spaces during the day and after the sun sets.
“Moon, white, or evening gardens have been around for 1,000 years and back to the 1830’s in the U.S.,” says Nina Koziol, a horticulturist and garden writer. She lives and gardens 40 miles from Chicago and recently wrote the book “White Gardens: Creating Magnificent Moonlit Spaces: Guide to White and Luminous Plants; Create a Night Garden with Plants that Reflect the Moon or Bloom in the Evening” published by Fox Chapel Publishing due to be on sale in late February/early March.
“The book is a guide for creating a white garden, from containers on a balcony to a sweeping garden to a border around the front door. White flowers just glow at night, and there’s the added charm of fragrance,” Koziol says.
Moonflower vine is an annual anyone can grow, she says, noting it’s like a morning glory, except its blooms twirl open at dusk and release a slight fragrance. Nicotiana (tobacco flower) blooms also open slightly bigger at night and attract nighttime pollinators such as moths.
With white options in so many varieties, it’s easy to plan for blooms throughout the growing season, from Lily of the Valley and daffodils in the spring to mums and clematis in the fall.
“They don’t have to be just white flowers; they could be pale yellow flowers or variegated shrubs, sedges and hostas,” Koziol notes.
To enhance the moon garden atmosphere, she suggests adding a water feature or small fountain with gently bubbling water. Fire pits, candles, and subtle lighting also intensify the blooms’ glow at night.
While deer don’t like a few plants, such as white flower swamp milkweed and fuzzy-leaf lavender, flowers in moon garden varieties are just as tasty to deer as other plants. Koziol protects most of her plants by spraying them with Ro-Pel, which provides a waxy coating that lasts longer.
The effort is worth it, she says, to create a vibrant outdoor space to relax in at the end of the day.
Use the same design elements as in regular gardens and consider different heights and textures. For example, plant moonflower vine on a fence for the backdrop and plant white varieties of short sunflowers, compact zinnias, and salvia in front of it.
While the moon garden may have a special night radiance, it’s beautiful in the daylight, too.
Contact: Nina Koziol (www.beautyandthefeast.net).

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Expand Garden Time With A Moon Garden BUILDINGS Miscellaneous If you’re looking for something different to grow this year you may want to think “white” as you order seeds and plants With “Moon Gardens ” gardeners can enjoy their outdoor spaces during the day and after the sun sets “Moon white or evening gardens have been around for 1 000 years and back to the 1830’s in the U S ” says Nina Koziol a horticulturist and garden writer She lives and gardens 40 miles from Chicago and recently wrote the book “White Gardens: Creating Magnificent Moonlit Spaces: Guide to White and Luminous Plants; Create a Night Garden with Plants that Reflect the Moon or Bloom in the Evening” published by Fox Chapel Publishing due to be on sale in late February/early March “The book is a guide for creating a white garden from containers on a balcony to a sweeping garden to a border around the front door White flowers just glow at night and there’s the added charm of fragrance ” Koziol says Moonflower vine is an annual anyone can grow she says noting it’s like a morning glory except its blooms twirl open at dusk and release a slight fragrance Nicotiana tobacco flower blooms also open slightly bigger at night and attract nighttime pollinators such as moths With white options in so many varieties it’s easy to plan for blooms throughout the growing season from Lily of the Valley and daffodils in the spring to mums and clematis in the fall “They don’t have to be just white flowers; they could be pale yellow flowers or variegated shrubs sedges and hostas ” Koziol notes To enhance the moon garden atmosphere she suggests adding a water feature or small fountain with gently bubbling water Fire pits candles and subtle lighting also intensify the blooms’ glow at night While deer don’t like a few plants such as white flower swamp milkweed and fuzzy-leaf lavender flowers in moon garden varieties are just as tasty to deer as other plants Koziol protects most of her plants by spraying them with Ro-Pel which provides a waxy coating that lasts longer The effort is worth it she says to create a vibrant outdoor space to relax in at the end of the day Use the same design elements as in regular gardens and consider different heights and textures For example plant moonflower vine on a fence for the backdrop and plant white varieties of short sunflowers compact zinnias and salvia in front of it While the moon garden may have a special night radiance it’s beautiful in the daylight too Contact: Nina Koziol www beautyandthefeast net

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