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In the night garden
Our gardens may look vibrant in the daytime, but at night they take on a different air as the fading light changes the colours, tones and fragrance of our outdoor space and certain plants come into their own.
Garden centres have seen a rise in night-blooming plants, according to new research, showing we are making the most of our evenings outdoors. Almost a third of us do gardening (not just watering) after dark and 70% socialise in the garden after dark, according to the survey of more than 3,000 people, commissioned by Grant's Whisky.
With this in mind, award-winning gardener and TV presenter Chris Beardshaw has created three blueprints for the perfect garden after hours.
Chris says: "The garden is often at its most vibrant and intense as the evening slips into night. The fragrance is enhanced in many cases and the quality of light, either from the setting sun or the moon, adds an extra dynamic character.
"Simply adding a few night-blooming plants, subtle lighting and the use of white or light coloured materials where possible, will reflect the moonlight and make a real difference to the pleasure you can get out of your garden after hours."
So, how can you make the most of your night garden?
First, choose your colours carefully. Sizzling reds and oranges may dazzle during the day but at night they won't, so balance your palette with whites and creams to reflect the light.
Good choices include the pure white Cosmos 'Purity', Digitalis purpurea 'Alba', the white foxglove, and Cerastium Tomentosum 'Silver Carpet' (snow-in-summer), a vigorous mat-forming perennial which produces silvery white woolly foliage and a mass of pure white flowers when in bloom.
Night-blooming plants include Silene alba (white campion), a wild flower with delicate, evening scented white flowers, Ipomoea alba (moonflower), a night-blooming relative of the Morning Glory, and Mirabilis jalapa, also known as Four O'Clock, a native of Peru which offers both trumpet-shaped flowers and a jasmine scent.
If you are more concerned with fragrance, then include Nicotiana sylvestris, a tobacco plant variety growing up to 150cm (5ft), whose white flowers emit an intense scent, Oenothera fruticosa 'Fyrverkeri', an evening primrose which produces sweetly scented blossoms of soft white, pink and bright yellow, and night gladiolus, whose creamy yellow flowers give an intense, spicy smell at night.
For a mid-sized family garden Chris advises: "Sow hardy annual seeds that come into their own at night such as night-scented stock. If you use a cottage garden mix the seeds are quick to grow and will reward you with flowers by the summer holidays."
Lighting is also important. You could drape fairy lights over woven willow structures, or solar lights to give an atmospheric glow.
If you have a small garden or just a roof terrace, light what plants you have with uplighters to create a dramatic effect. By positioning the light carefully you can create a silhouette on the walls, which help give the impression of a bigger space.
If you have screens in your garden or want to cover walls, use scented climbers such as jasmine, which comes into its own in the evening.
Candles could also be hung from screening in glass votives for additional soft lighting.
If you have a larger garden, plant beds and borders with plants from the white and blue colour spectrum, to help reflect the moonlight and make the garden appear to be glowing, Chris advises.
"You could even create a white garden with white roses, white delphiniums and white flowering shrubs such as Elaeagnus angustifolia 'Quicksilver'. Use silver foliage plants too such as Stachys byzantina (lambs' ears) and some of the giant thistles."
Plant fragrant climbers like honeysuckle near to the house to enjoy wafts of its sweet scent drifting through open windows or greeting you when you step on to the patio.
The colour, textures and fragrance of a night garden can really make the perfect end to a perfect day.
BEST OF THE BUNCH - Catmint (Nepeta)
Now I know you're all going to worry about cats making litters out of your borders if you plant nepeta in them, but I've got loads of it in my garden and there's not a cat in sight. Catmint makes a terrific edging plant for the border instead of lavender, its grey-green leaves and lavender flowerhead borne on upright spikes.
It will thrive in sandy, stony and chalky soils but won't last long in heavy soil that is sodden in winter. And its flowers go on forever, from late spring until early autumn.
Regular deadheading will encourage further flushes or just give it a hard trim after the first flush of flowers to keep the plants tidy. Don't cut the stems in autumn, just remove old growth when new shoots start to appear in spring. When it's outgrown its allotted space, lift, divide and replant the clumps.
Varieties include N. x faassenii, a vigorous, spreading perennial growing to around 1ft (30cm) bearing pale lavender blue flowers with dark purple spots. Taller species include 'Superba', which grows up to 90cm (3ft) and 'Six Hill Giant' with violet blooms. Taller catmints may need staking.
GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT - PROTECT YOUR BRASSICAS
Cabbage white butterfly caterpillars will be hatching now so keep them at bay by inspecting the undersides of the leaves of your brassicas, including cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.
After about 14 days the larvae (caterpillars) emerge then moult as they grow. They have well developed mandibles, which they use with devastating effect on crops. This first generation pupates in June in a crevice or woody stem, emerging in July as the second generation that usually causes greater damage to crops in the garden, repeats the cycle and pupates to overwinter for the next year.
If you come across small clusters of yellow eggs, you need to squash them or pick them off. Signs of cabbage caterpillar include ragged holes that appear in the leaves. Attacks are worst in hot, dry weather. If you can't bear to pick off the eggs or the caterpillars, spray with Bacillus thuringiensis for serious infestations.
Covering the target plants with horticultural fleece or fine netting should prevent the butterflies laying their eggs in the first place. Netting should be held away from the leaves and not draped over them otherwise the butterfly may reach them.
THREE WAYS TO - Keep your lawn beautiful
1. Mow regularly to keep the grass dense and keep weeds at bay.
2. Trim edges regularly or your lawn will start to grow into borders.
3. Feed in spring and summer to encourage dense, good quality grass.
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
:: Remove suckers on fruit trees, rhododendrons and roses by pulling away rather than cutting.
:: Plant out runner beans raised under glass.
:: Hang pheromone traps in apple and pear trees to deter codling moth.
:: Pinch out young growths appearing on trained fruit trees at the fourth leaf.
:: Continue to make sowings of carrots, turnips, beet, lettuce and spinach.
:: Lift forget-me-nots from spring bedding schemes and re-set them in a spare corner.
:: Continue to apply and refresh mulches to conserve moisture and discourage weed.
:: Remove rhododendron flowers that have passed over, so their energy is not wasted in the production of seed.
:: Plant dahlias raised from cuttings, provided they have been adequately hardened.
:: Continue to draw earth up around potatoes planted during March and April, aiming to complete the job be the end of the month.
:: Remove seedlings before they become established in places where the hoe will not reach.
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Weather for Bedford
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
