Transform Your Garden into a Nighttime Sanctuary

04/29/16

Transform Your Garden into a Nighttime Sanctuary | Garden Landscape Lighting Omaha Nebraska McKay Lighting

A garden can be a peaceful sanctuary. It’s a wonderful place to relax and unwind while being surrounded by nature and blooming flowers. After a full day of work, dinner, and other activities only a few hours remain in the evening before the sun sets. 

Now there are more ways to enjoy your garden into the nighttime hours.

We recently read an article that mentioned how the color and texture of some annual plants reflect the moon's light, creating a unique aspect for nighttime enjoyment.

According to the article, How to create a moonlight garden, besides white, cool colors such as light blue, lavenders, charmeuse and yellow show off well at night.

“Cool colors are often seen best at dusk and at night because in the soft evening light and under the light of the moon, they don't have to compete with flowers of warm colors. Vibrant tropical colors such as reds, purples, pinks, oranges, and bright yellows stand out so strongly in the brilliant light of the summer sun that they overpower cooler colors, and we can actually overlook cool colors during the day,” said Irene Barber, who coordinates the Adult Horticulture Education Program for the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine.

Annual Plants for Nighttime Enjoyment

All of the plants mentioned in the article can be planted into gardens in the Midwest. We’ve highlighted five plants below that will allow for more nighttime enjoyment.

Garden Lighting Omaha Nebraska
 
Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) – Moonflower is of tropical origin and in most places is grown as an annual vine (note that it is listed as a perennial in the Southwestern United States).
 

Outdoor garden lighting omaha ne Source: How to create a moonlight garden

White summer snapdragons such as Angelonia 'Serena White' – This variety of Angelonia forms a mounding plant that grows to about a foot tall, is covered in white flowers and stays in bloom all summer.

Moonlight garden omaha nebraska
Source: How to create a moonlight garden

New Guinea impatiens such as Infinity White – This variety of impatiens can be easily grown in garden beds or containers and produces large, brilliant white flowers throughout the summer.

plants that illuminate under landscpae lightings omaha nebraska Source: How to create a moonlight garden 

Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls' – As its name implies, has silver foliage and can be grown as a ground cover or in a pot or hanging baskets from which its quarter-inch silver leaves will spill over the sides.

outdoor lighting omaha nebraska Source: How to create a moonlight garden

Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost' – This spreading and mounding plant has lace-like white flowers and blooms continuously all summer.

Besides color, consider plant texture and foliage shapes. Some plant varieties such as brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' create unique and interesting shadowing effects at dusk.

garden landscape lighting ideas - down lighting - omaha nebraska mckay lighting

Landscape Lighting Ideas for Garden 

common lighting technique, down lighting, involves strategically placing light fixtures aimed downward high up into a tree. The light catches the leaves and branches to create a unique shadowing effect in the evening, much like the effect of a full moon-lit sky, also referred to as moonlighting.

A thoughtful outdoor lighting design around your home or garden can provide the right amount of soft light for your nighttime enjoyment.

In summary, when choosing plants for evening enjoyment, look for the following characteristics:

  • White, silver, or cool colored foliage or flowering varieties
  • Textured and form foliage varieties
  • Night-flowering / blooming varieties
  • Plants with bright foliage patterns

Barber suggests spreading these types of plants throughout your garden to increase your nighttime display.

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After a long day at work, you can come home and enjoy a quiet evening in your beautiful moonlit garden. And if you don't want to rely on the moon's light, feel free to contact us about your exterior lighting needs request a free consultation online

A landscape lighting designer will have the experience and knowledge to bring your garden to life and make it a relaxing sanctuary at night. When you hire a professional landscape lighting company, you can rest assured knowing that your outdoor lighting project will be properly installed. Download the Essential Guide to Hiring a Landscape Lighting Professional for tips on selecting the right company for you home and property.

Looking to Enhance Your Property?

Our dedicated team at McKay Landscape Lighting works with you to create a custom landscape lighting design that's unique to your property. From design to installation to service, you can count on our team of experts to make sure you are happy with your lighting system for years to come.

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