A scented evening garden

I have always liked Van Morrison and one of my favorite songs is one he sings called "Moondance." Even if you're not dancing what better place to appreciate the moonlight than in the night garden.

Now that summer is officially here the best time to work and enjoy being in my garden is in the early morning or at the end of the day when I can inhale the perfume of flowers like flowering tobacco, that wait for early evening before they open and release their intoxicating scents. Between busy work schedules and hot, humid days the evening garden is an appealing reward.

Whether you are starting from scratch or want to refurbish part of your existing garden to include plants that you can enjoy in the evening, there are many choices. Before you head to the nursery in search of night blooming beauties here are a few points to consider.

Make sure that you have easy access to the evening garden. A well-lit path that connects the house and garden means you will be more likely to stroll into the garden on a regular basis. Select materials that are comfortable to walk on like soft mulch or flagstone.

• Site plants with fragrant foliage and flowers near pathways, doors and windows so that you can easily appreciate their perfume.

• Include a bench or a place to sit and enjoy your landscape at night.

• An outdoor dining area with lighting is also an option.

• Remember groups of plants will make more of an impact than individual plants dotted here and there.

• White flowers will show up the best in the evening light.

Once you have decided on the size and design of your evening garden it's time to make a plant list. For sunny gardens there are a number of trees and shrubs that come to mind. One of my all around favorite small flowering trees, fragrant snowbell, Styrax obassia is delight in the garden at anytime of day or night with its fragrant white flowers in spring, rich green leaves in summer and yellow fall foliage. The evergreen magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora has large lemony-scented white flowers but there is also the native sweetbay magnolia, Magnolia virginiana australis a smaller-stature tree with mostly evergreen leaves that shimmer in the breeze and flowers that although small are also deliciously sweet. Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva' and 'Limelight' are good choices for sunny sites while Anabelle hydrangeas, Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' and oakleaf types, Hydrangea quercifolia are better suited for the woodland. Variegated plants that show up well in the evening garden include variegated boxwood, variegated giant dogwood Cornus controversa 'Variegata' and variegated hollies.

One of the delights of the evening garden are the large number of plants that wait until late in the day to release their perfume. What follows is a partial list of annuals and perennials with fragrant flowers to delight you in the night garden.

Annuals

Brugmansia 'Charles Grimaldi' - angel's trumpet

Cestrum nocturnum - night jessamine

Ipomoea alba - moonflower, a vine

Nicotiana alata - flowering tobacco

Perennials

Calamintha nepeta nepeta - calamintha

Thymus x citriodorus 'Aureus' - golden creeping thyme

Phlox divaricata 'David' - hardy garden phlox

Trachelospermum jasminoides 'Madison' - confederate jasmine

Erica's pick

Charles Grimaldi angel's trumpet

Botanical name: Brugmansia 'Charles Grimaldi'

About the plant: This exotic tropical (hardy to Zone 8) looking plant grows 3 to 6' or taller, great in the ground or in containers. A profuse bloomer with large 8 to 10-inch long fragrant salmon pendant trumpets. Note: all parts of this plant are poisonous.

Use in the garden: Great for its long season of bloom, spring through fall. Place it in the border or in decorative pots.

Planting and Care: Full sun or part shade with regular water and fertilizer will result in lots of flowers.