Enjoy Your Garden After The Sun Goes Down

You spend so much time in your yard making it beautiful. The only problem is you get home too late in the afternoons during the week to enjoy it. If this sounds familiar, consider designing a moon garden.

The idea behind "moon gardening" is to use plants that shimmer in the moonlight. "White, pastel or silvery blooms shine as moonlight enters the garden," says Dr. Dave Williams, a horticulturist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

Some plants are at their best at night. Evening primrose, angel's trumpets and flowering tobacco bloom at night. Other plants such as dame's rocket, meadowsweet and petunias, emit the most fragrance at night.

Add other light sources to complement the moonlight in your moon garden. In the late evening, shine a flashlight and experiment with different angles and shadow patterns. Then hang permanent lights from the roof or use bottom lighting to shine into the trees. Be creative.

The finishing touches to your moon garden should include ornaments such as statues, stepping-stones or light-colored gravel. Use wind chimes to add a bit of essence to the environment.