Night whites & candlelight

Add a little bit of magic to your summer evenings with these easy garden ideas.

Nighttime is prime time for summer garden enjoyment. In the cooler air, simple tasks such as clipping and trimming become pleasant undertaking. It is also a terrific time to relax, entertain, and enjoy the efforts of your labors. Maximize the impact of the night garden with white blooms and light-reflecting foliage. Masses of snowy blossoms clustered snugly together shine and sparkle in evening light, whether it is from an incandescent source, candles, or the full moon.

Great Flowers, Fabulous Foliage

This pristine palette contains numerous floral options. Choose your plants according to daylight conditions-either sun or shade. The correct plant choices ensure a stellar evening show. In shady beds and hanging baskets, masses of white impatiens produce a dynamic display During daylight the blooms appear cool and collected, but after sundown they glisten and glow like a shower of stars.

White caladiums are an excellent choice for showy foliage. The selections 'Candidum' and `White Christmas' fare beautifully in shade, while 'Aaron' holds its own in a sunny location. Plant these tropical tubers in a large group, or use them as a tall element behind other pearly bloomers.

For a spot that's sunny by day, my favorite flowers are white petunias. Their trumpet-like blooms not only reflect light but also perfume the air with spicy, intoxicating fragrance. Petunias are perfect in containers, where they are somewhat immune to hungry slugs and are easy to pinch back and groom. In a flowerbed, consider planting the appropriately named White Star Series zinnias (Zinnia angustifolia).

Ignite a Spark

Truth be told, we're all romantics at heart, and candlelight is a favorite source of illumination. Turn an ordinary evening into a lingering occasion with a single scented pillar on a table or a garden fall of luminarias and tea lights. Remember these safety rules regardless of the number of flickering flames: Never leave candles unattended, and always confine the flame within a glass container if it's close to flowers, foliage, or anything else that may be flammable.

Light a candle just for yourself, or go all out for company. Try these ideas to bring lively sparkle to your garden.

* Place floating candles in a birdbath or fishpond.

* Suspend jewel-studded jars from tree limbs.

* Use tall canning jars with petite pillars along a pathway or tucked along the edge of a flowerbed.

NIGHT WHITES AND CANDLELIGHT

Pages 78-80: Birdbath is manufactured by The Elegant Earth, 1301 First Avenue North, Birmingham, 1-800-242-7758.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Aug 2002
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