Your garden may look incredible during the day but did you know you can plant fragrant night blooming flowers, especially for enjoying after dark?
Night blooming flowers not only look beautiful in the moonlight, they have a gorgeous scent to enjoy in the evenings too.
Our guide will help you design an enchanting midnight garden, full of glowing white flowers that will tempt you outside long after the sun has set.
Midnight garden plants
Choose white flowering plants that reflect the moonlight, creating an ambient glow as night falls.
When you’re choosing your plants also consider the fragrances you’ll enjoy most – here are a few of our suggestions, that are perfect for spring planting:
-
Jasmine (Jasminium Officinale)
With fragrant white flowers, this climbing plant flowers between summer and autumn and can grow up to 4m tall. Plant it in full sun or partial shade, against a south or west facing wall in a sheltered location. It enjoys prefer moist, well-drained soil of any type.
-
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum Jasminoides)
This evergreen climbing shrub grows to about 4m, has fragrant white flowers from mid to late summer. Plant it in full sun or partial shade, against a south or west facing wall in a sheltered location. It prefers moist, well-drained soil of any type.
-
Honeysuckle (Lonicera Japonica “Halliana”)
Growing to about 4m, this vigorous, evergreen climber has white fragrant flowers in the summer. It will tolerate an exposed location, but prefers full sun or part shade against a south or west facing wall in a sheltered location.
-
Pinks (Dianthus “Memories”)
This evergreen perennial plant has scented white flowers in summer, but it may repeat flower in a mild spring. Plant in full sun with a south, west or east facing location in drained and enriched sand, chalk or loam soil. It grows to about half a metre and is ideal for beds, borders or planted containers.
-
Phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Growing to about half a metre, his herbaceous perennial has scented flowers that bloom throughout the summer. Plant it in a sunny or partially shaded spot (not north facing) in moist, well-drained soil of any type.
-
Oriental Lily (Lilium orientalis)
This tall flowering bulb has large fragrant blooms in pink, yellow or white between July and August. Plant it in a sunny location in well-drained acidic soil. If your garden is alkaline, it’s better to plant them in a pot.
Creating a midnight garden
Whether you plan to transform your whole garden or want a beautiful, private nook to retreat to on warm summer nights, follow our tips for creating a midnight garden.
- Pick a spot in your garden that’s open to moonlight or artificial light when night draws in.
- Layer and contrast different flowers so your outdoor space comes alive in the moonlight.
- For a fast spreading option that will help fill out your moonlit garden, include perennials like Pinks in your flowerbeds.
- Plant in pots and planters at different levels to add a magical dimension to your midnight garden.
- Place a bench or seating area within your night garden so you can spend time enjoying the space and taking in the gorgeous scents of the flowers.
Bring the glow of a midnight garden to your home when you explore the white, scented plants available in-store at Homebase.
