The Important Role of Plants
Plants serve many functions in the moon garden. The important design principle to remember is that every plant used needs to be an evening or night blooming plant. The flowers of some plants such as tulips (Tulipa cv.) close for the night, and are therefore not able to contribute to the night effect.
Consider adding at least one plant for dramatic architectural effect. Small accent trees such as flowering crabs (Malus spp.), smaller maples such as Japanese (Acer palmatum), Korean (A. pseudosieboldianum) or Amur maple (A. ginnala), and pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) create interesting silhouettes and shadows when lighted to effect.
Trees which bring interest to the composition through their interesting sculptured forms include sumacs (Rhus typhina and R. glabra) when pruned into tree forms, flowering crabs, apples (Malus spp.), pears (Pyrus ussuriensis cv.) and Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra).
Evergreens bring a constancy and year-long appeal to the moon garden with their articulated forms. The glaucous foliage of Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens var. glauca) and the blue upright juniper cultivars (Juniperus cv.) reflect some of the soft light and lend a silvery hue to the background. Even certain deciduous trees can contribute to the fall and winter moon garden with their interesting naked forms; these include staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), hawthorns (Crataegus spp.) and the corkscrew hazel (Corylus avellana 'Contorta'). The textured white bark of native aspen (Populus tremuloides) and paper birch (Betula papyrifera) will catch the moonlight all year round like ghostly sentinels standing guard.
Ornamental grasses are wonderful additions to a moon garden. The showy seed heads of giant maidenhair grass (Miscanthus sinensis cv.) catch the moonlight and rustle in the slightest breeze, while the strongly architectural form of Karl Foerster feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster') provides a rigidly upright silhouette set against the rounder forms of the garden. And herbs such as lovage (Levisticum officinale), angelica (Angelica archangelica) and fernleaf fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) not only introduce a fine texture to the night garden, but reward the curious wanderer for stopping and savoring the fragrant foliage and flowers.
