Moonscaping: Total Eclipse of the Plant

Thoughts and musings

Moonscaping: Total Eclipse of the Plant

Lewis | March 23, 2015 | 0 Comments

This blog post is in the spirit of last week’s solar eclipse, hence the terrible Bonnie Tyler reference in the title! You may not have heard of the trend of ‘moonscaping’ quite as much; sadly the term is also used metaphorically to describe an area devastated by war. Because of this, it may be a tad trickier for you to find more information online about moonscaping in the sense we are referring to – designing your garden to add distinction at night.

There are a number of ways to do this, and there is no singular correct way; this is the case with so many things within the landscaping industry in our own experience, as every garden is different. This is mainly down to the client’s needs during the garden design process. But that’s the best thing about it, no two gardens are the same. As a result, this means that moonscaping your garden is a totally blank canvas, with no ‘rules’ to follow. You can be as creative as you like.

The term ‘moonscaping’ may well be a misleading term; in my mind, it implies that it is a form of landscaping that allows the moonlight to light up your garden at night, due to the style of the landscaping used. This may well be the case, if it’s a clear night and the moon is full! But moonscaping is compiled by a number of different features and ideas. Flowers that do bask in the moonlight is one of them, though. Some night-blooming plants are always a good idea, and can add a whole new dimension to your planting scheme.

Another method to moonscape is, of course, to use lighting. Finding the perfect lighting for what you want can be a challenge, and will require a lot of thought, and perhaps even trial and error. But when you’ve found it, you’ll certainly know it by the look of awe that will appear on your face! It can really turn your garden into a place that, in my mind’s eye again, has a real ethereal look and feel, so you know that your efforts will be rewarded in earnest. You have a number of different schemes to choose from; up-lighting, down-lighting, low voltage, line voltage…You can even arrange for your lighting methods to be eco-friendly. Like a lot of things, it’s all down to perception and personal preference.

It isn’t just the lighting, though. Nighttime, and dusk in particular, just provides a distinctive difference to the landscape, especially when there are some fragrant flowers to be enjoyed, making that serene evening all that more relaxing. With the glow of the lighting on the plants, I’m sure it is already a perfect atmosphere for some. But the addition of a water feature would make it for me, personally. I think it is the soothing effect that I get from the sound of running water. With all that in place, I’m sure I wouldn’t want to leave my garden!

What do you think? If you have any more ideas about moonscaping, please leave a comment in the section below. Again, there is no set method, so be creative!