Moon Gardens, anyone?

[sred98]

I was curious if anyone here plants "Moongardens", you know, gardens that release their fragrance at night, and plants whose blooms show up best at night.

I plant regular white moonflowers on my arbor, I used to have pink moonflowers, but have lost them. I have Datura and Brugmansia also. I am trying to find Evening Stock, and I have a lot of night blooming day lilies. The first time I planted Plumbago, I was pleasantly surprised at how the pale blue literally glows in the moonlight.

I love sitting out at night in the garden and watching the hummingbird moths. They really love the daturas!

Anyone else have a nighttime garden??

Shelly

 

[momofdrew]

I have done that in the past... my gardens are always evolving.. I may try that again

 

[Reinbeau]

My mother has a moon garden, everything blooms in shades of white - she isn't going for fragrance, she's going for the visual. It's an herb/perennial border, and on the shadier end of her garden.

 

[vfem]

I know we talked about this some (sorry I haven't responded again... its been a crazy couple of days).

I was wondering how large those Flower Tobacco plants got. I wanted some in pots under my windows on out deck and front porch... really get the fragrance going.

I'm not sure if they are climbers or just individually stemmed... or multistemmed.... (now I know what the are!)?

 

[sred98]

I know we talked about this some (sorry I haven't responded again... its been a crazy couple of days).

I was wondering how large those Flower Tobacco plants got. I wanted some in pots under my windows on out deck and front porch... really get the fragrance going.

I'm not sure if they are climbers or just individually stemmed... or multistemmed.... (now I know what the are!)?

They are not climbers. They are multi-stemmed, and can get 15 inches to over 5 ft tall, depending on the variety. I forget, do you remember what varieties you have? My absolute favorite is the standard Night Blooming Tobacco - Nicotiana Alata http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/76795-product.html

Just because it comes back every year with some to spare, so I can move it all over the garden, but not so much that it is invasive. They plants that come up are easy to move, and not growing thickly. It gets 3-5 feet tall.

I am in the middle of a trade on another board for some unusual varieties, including green and a green and red one. I don't know if they will be as fragrant, or not, but I hope so!

Did y'all know that the really dark purple petunias are night fragrant?? I didn't, but it smells really good!

Shelly

 

[sred98]

My mother has a moon garden, everything blooms in shades of white - she isn't going for fragrance, she's going for the visual. It's an herb/perennial border, and on the shadier end of her garden.

She should really try the plumbago (simply amazing, no fragrance, though) with the Nicotiana. It makes a stunning combination!

Shelly

 

[vfem]

Here is what I bought and I do have sprouts right now, about 8 of them that have actually been triving!

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=9842106

 

[patandchickens]

Two things I highly recommend if you like night gardens, although both have to be overwintered as houseplants unless you are way far south, are Cestrum nocturnum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cestrum_nocturnum) for scent, and what I know as "night-blooming cereus" (aka queen of the night, sometimes sold as Hylocereus or Selenicereus, there are several different plants that seem to go under these names but all are fairly similar, they are not epiphyllums) for huge beautiful flowers up to a foot across (http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week174.shtml)

Cestrum nocturnum will grow happily in the ground (pot sunk in ground, or actually transplanted) for the summer; I don't know about night-blooming cereus, my family has always just move the pots outside to a bright shady location for the summer and they do seem to appreciate being a little potbound.

Alas, we have WAY too many mosquitos here for me to even *think* about stickin' my head outside at night

Pat

 

[sred98]

Two things I highly recommend if you like night gardens, although both have to be overwintered as houseplants unless you are way far south, are Cestrum nocturnum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cestrum_nocturnum) for scent, and what I know as "night-blooming cereus" (aka queen of the night, sometimes sold as Hylocereus or Selenicereus, there are several different plants that seem to go under these names but all are fairly similar, they are not epiphyllums) for huge beautiful flowers up to a foot across (http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week174.shtml)

Cestrum nocturnum will grow happily in the ground (pot sunk in ground, or actually transplanted) for the summer; I don't know about night-blooming cereus, my family has always just move the pots outside to a bright shady location for the summer and they do seem to appreciate being a little potbound.

Alas, we have WAY too many mosquitos here for me to even *think* about stickin' my head outside at night

Pat

I have been looking for some Cestrum Nocturnum. I traded for some once, but it ended up being the Epiphyllum Oxypetalum. I guess that must be a common mistake? The Queen of the Night, I am not sure about...I have heard the Epi called that before. I'll have to check out the link! Also, would you have some Cestrum to trade for when it warms up enough to send? Please PM me if you do.

We have bat houses and Martin houses here to help control mosquitos. And dragonflies! I love them!

Shelly

 

[sred98]

Here is what I bought and I do have sprouts right now, about 8 of them that have actually been triving!

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=9842106

Are you direct sowing the Nicotiana or are you starting it in pots? I've had the best luck with direct sowing, so I am curious how you are doing it. Maybe I am doing something wrong? I am getting my seeds any day now, and need to know what I am doing! LOL! Maybe I should take half and direct sow and the other half in pots? What do you think?

Shelly