Design

10 Plants that Shine at Night

With the right lighting and the right plants, a beautiful day-time garden can also shine at night. Night-time gardens are commonly called “moon gardens” because they typically feature an abundance of paler shades of plants, which reflect the light of the moon and help to brighten the landscape during night time hours.

Sound magical? It is! A well done moon garden can lend a mystique to your garden, making it a perfect spot for late-night gatherings in summer. Consider using plants with white flowers or silvery foliage. Here are a few favorites:

Boltonia (Boltonia asteroides and cvs., USDA Hardiness Zones 4–8)

‘Casa Blanca’ lilies (Lilium ‘Casa Blanca’, Z 6–9)

Dusty miller (Senecio cineraria and cvs., annual)

Flowering tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris, annual)

Garlic chives ( Allium tuberosum , Z 4–8)

‘Honorine Jobert’ Japanese anemone ( Anemone × hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’, Z 4–8)

Lambs’ ears ( Stachys byzantina and cvs., Z 4–8)

Licorice plant ( Helichrysum petiolare , annual)

Silver sage ( Salvia argentea , Z 5–8)

Sweet autumn clematis ( Clematis paniculata , Z 5–11)

Get our latest tips, how-to articles, and instructional videos sent to your inbox.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

See all newsletters

View Comments

Comments

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

The Latest

Design

8 Gardening Pros Pick Their Favorite Must-Have Trees

Trees are among the most majestic plants in the landscape, and they are essential components of Earth’s ecology. We literally could not survive without these large, beautiful, and life-sustaining botanical…

Article

The Fine Gardening Forum

Get personal advice for your garden in our new forum moderated by expert educators, horticulturists, botanists, designers, and landscape architects.

Design

Garden Tools for Bulb Planting and the End of Season

If you're checking the thermometer lately, you'll know that the end of the gardening season is fast approaching for many of us. But, if this chilly weather has you feeling…

Take your passion for plants to the next level

Subscribe today and save up to 56%

"As a recently identified gardening nut I have tried all the magazines and this one is head and shoulders above the pack."

Design

Take a Video Tour of a Rooftop Pollinator Garden

Take a tour through a magical pollinator garden located atop a multistory apartment building in the middle of Chicago. Featured in Fine Gardening #213, this garden is an oasis within…