Gardening with Gary

Gardening Advice from an Expert

Nocturnal Gardens

Q. In school, we learned of night-flowering plants with fragrant white flowers. Do you know of any which I can grow?

A. What a wonderful idea. Here is some very detailed info for you:

With the setting of the sun, the nocturnal garden awakens and the night shift begins. Many plants bloom exclusively at night. Many more wait until evening to release their scent. White flowers and plants with variegated foliage glow softly as they reflect the moonlight. To those who work all day, the nocturnal garden can be a peaceful refuge. But, for a few of our flying friends, the work goes on. The bright blooms and heavenly scent of some flowers attract nectar-feeding moths and bats. These pollinators work only after dark. Other bats are drawn to the night-blooming garden to prey on insects. They each can consume 600 mosquitoes an hour. Why not plan a garden around the time when you can most enjoy it? When planting a garden that will shine at night, include plants from each of these categories:

Night-flowering plants:

Evening primrose (Oenothera) features sweetly scented blossoms of soft white, pink and bright yellow that open each evening.

Night phlox (Phlox 'Midnight Candy'), with flowers that open at dusk, releases a honey-almond-vanilla fragrance.

Four O'Clocks (Mirabilis jalapa) blooms fragrant, colorful trumpet-shaped flowers that open in late afternoon releasing a jasmine-like perfume. In Colorado's climate, four o'clocks are annuals.

Nottingham Catchfly (Silene nutans) offers a scent reminiscent of hyacinths. Its flowers open on three successive nights before fading.

Daylilies (Hemerocallis) that bloom at night include 'Moon Frolic' and 'Toltec Sundial.' Not all night-flowering plants need be planted in the garden. Night Blooming Cereus is a cactus known for its large fragrant white flowers. This plant can be grown in containers and brought indoors during the winter. It is not hardy below 55 degrees.

Night-fragrant plants:
Flowering tobacco (Nicotiana) is a lovely annual with long trumpet-like blooms. The blooms are valued for their intense evening fragrance.

Night Gladiolus (Gladiolus tristus) features creamy yellow blossoms that send out an intense spicy fragrance at night.

August Lily (Hosta) blooms a waxy, trumpet-shaped flower that appears on 30-inch stems. Each flower is about 5 inches long and 3 inches wide. The scent is 'pure honey.'

Fragrant Columbine (Aquilegia fragrans) offers creamy white flowers with a rich honeysuckle scent.

Pinks (Dianthus plumarius) display pale pink flowers with a rich clove scent.

Evening-fragrant vines can provide beautiful coverage for walls, fences and trellises. These include perennials such as climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala petiolaris); sweet autumn clematis (Clematis paniculata) and honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica). Moonflower (lpomoea alba) is a quick-growing relative of the morning glory. This annual perfumes the garden when its large -- 5-to-6-inch -- flowers open at dusk.

Mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius) is a fast-growing shrub that can reach to 10 feet. In late May to early June, it is loaded with fragrant white orange-scented blossoms.

White blooms and reflective foliage plants:
Plants with white blooms or foliage that can reflect light include 'Purity' cosmos; 'Armour White' verbena; 'Alba' foxglove; 'Bride' impatiens; 'Alba' bleeding heart; 'Perry's white' Oriental poppy; 'Alba' columbine; 'White Lace' dianthus; Artemesia silver; lamb's ears and variegated cannas.

Vegetables and herbs:
Candidates for the night garden are not limited to flowers. The vegetable garden can be a moonlit and fragrant attraction, as well. Some plants you may want to try include silver thyme, 'Alba' white eggplant; 'Casper' or 'Boo' white pumpkins; basils, mints and oreganos

By Judy Sedbrook, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
Master Gardener, Denver County

Let me know which interest you, and I will supply culture tips.