Often, gardens are planned with only the daytime in mind. Under the light of the sun, many plants show off their rich colors, gorgeous textures, and stunning shapes. A world in miniature, this is typically the time of day when the garden is abuzz with activity – the birds are singing, the bees are darting from flower to flower, the butterflies are basking in the sunshine, and the breeze is heavy with delectable fragrances. But if you are like most Americans, you are far and away from this daylight ambrosia between the hours of nine and five and are missing out on the prime time of garden pleasures, perhaps only relishing it on the weekends.
And yet, the garden doesn’t necessarily slumber as soon as the sun disappears beneath the horizon. Under the celestial realm, a whole different cast of creatures alight the scene. Long into the night, chorusing cicadas and crickets, honking geese and basso toads, break up the stillness of the evening, while the understated beauty of the luna moth, along with bats, owls, and fireflies, flit and flap about. Plants, too, have nocturnal habits, and there are many that spring to life after dusk.