When planting around your home, specifically deck, patio or entertaining areas, white flowers and silver foliage plants for summer time enjoyment should be considered for evening hours. As the evening skies grow dark and the moon rises above the horizon in the warm August night sky, white flowers take center stage. Perfect for use around deck and entertaining areas to be enjoyed after dark. Moonlight gardens, a composition in white, have been grown and enjoyed through the centuries to soak in the remaining days of summer. White is a great color to show off your landscape at night.
Something as simple as Moonflowers planted from seed earlier in the season can be the star of the show. Moonflower vine Ipomoea alba is easily grown from seed. With 4 to 6 inch wide trumpet shaped flowers they put on a show as the blooms twirl open at dusk. A good sunny spot where they have an arbor, trellis, fence or deck rails to twine around will provide the support for a mid- summer night’s show. They like Morning Glories need to be shown who is boss however. If given too much nitrogen or tender loving care they might be content to just vine aggressively with green foliage. Some water stress or neglect can often get them to start blooming. White Cosmos, Japanese Anemones or White Roses are other good choices for deck side blooming. A splash of deer resistant soft foliage like perennial Brunnera with Bobo Hydrangeas would show in the moon’s glow. Remember fragrance, some artificial light and natural light (fireflies) add to the enchanting environment. Now blend in the sound of crickets and some intrigued sphinx moths and the stage is set for you to enjoy an enchanting August evening garden.
Here are some favorite white flowers for August evenings to get you started!
Aruncus ‘Chantilly Lace’
Panicle Hydrangeas like Limelight or Bobo
Chrysanthemum
Sweet Autumn Clematis
Althea Rose of Sharon ‘White Chiffon’
White hardy perennial herbaceous Hibiscus
White blooms on variegated Hosta
Variegated Ornamental Grasses
White Butterfly bush or Buddleia ‘Miss Pearl’
White Asters
Japanese Anemone fall blooming “Windflowers” (these will “dance in a breeze”)
Foliage of ‘Queen of Hearts’ Brunnera
Foliage of Lamb’s Ear
Weigela
White Roses
White Coneflower or Echinacea
‘Firefly Diamond’ Achillea
Shasta Daisy
Make a list of Annuals you want to plant next year for those warm August nights:
Moonflower Vine (from seed)
Diamond Frost Euphorbia
White Gomphrena
White Supertunias
Bright Lights™ White Osteospermum
Snowstorm Sutera also known as Bacopa
White Dahlias
