Lunar gardens....aromatic midnight landscaping.

Throughout history people have believed there to be a magical connection between the moon and nature.So-called "moon gardens" are landscapes so designed as to make it possible for you to enjoy them at night, even without flooding your backyard with tons of artificial light.People in Mumbai or any other metropolis round the world have schedules packed tightly like sardines...u leave early in the morning to reach home at night...There is something quite magical about plants at night. To truly appreciate it, you have to sit down and let the worries of the day fade for at least 10 minutes until your eyes adjust to the dark.The air in the city carries many a odor and is not always pleasant.moon gardens are an effective natural way to counter these smells...

Moon gardening has been passed down through many generations. All through Indian history there are vivid descriptions of vast gardens of our ruling elite.The vast mogul rose gardens,methab baugh are just some examples of moon gardens that have stood the test of time.

There are basically four categories of plants (there will be some overlap) used in moon gardens:

1)Plants with white flowers
2)Plants with bright foliage
3)Night bloomers
4)Plants with fragrant blooms.

1)Hibiscus - White Rose of Sharon:Easily grown, shrubs are usually planted in the perennial garden because of the abundance of colorful flowers. Too much or too little water or over fertilization will cause buds to drop from this plant.This var of hibiscus has a sweet soft soothing aroma which is just a treat. it also attracts birds, attracts butterflies...

2)Lemon Balm :Common name for Melissa officinalis, an aromatic, sweet herb of the Mint Family grown in the herb garden for seasoning, and also used in liqueurs and historically, as a medicine. It grows to 2 feet tall and has small 2-lipped flowers in late summer, and leaves of a decided lemon odor and flavor.

3)Rose:Indians obsession with this plant is deep seated in our history the moguls were particularly fond of these plants and our colonial rulers weren't far behind the rose gardens in almost every city of India stands proof for this obsession.roses have a distinct aroma which is loved by one n all.

4)spider lilly:Hymenocallis littoralis:is a bulbous perennial herb. It ranges in height from 60-70cm (36 inches). It requires sunlight to partial shade for proper growth and blooms from mid-summer to late autumn with white flowers. The flowers are delightfully fragrant, with up to 8 flowers blooming on each flower stalk at a time.

5)Eucalyptus: large genus of mostly very large trees, of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), native to Australia there are some dwarf var out in the market now...The eucalyptus plant provides an excellent aromatherapy product in pure essential eucalyptus oil. When you walk through the groves, the blue mist that mutes the surrounding scenery can be almost intoxicating. One can’t help but take deep breaths of its refreshing scent

6)Gardenia:Gardenia taitensis:their fragrant creamy-white flowers, tucked amid glossy evergreen foliage, make gardenia plants a popular addition in or around the home.
Gardenia flowers are 2 inches in diameter with a strong, fragrant aroma. They range from ivory to bright white and bloom all year round in the tropics.

7)Thyme:Thyme is a highly aromatic herb which grows especially well in somewhat dry, sunny conditions.Varies with variety. Thyme is generally low growing, spreading, 6 - 10" in height. Some varieties form an almost flat carpet.Thyme pretty much grows itself. In fact, the more you fuss with it, the less hardy it will be. Thyme is most fragrant and flavorful when grown in dry, lean soil. Too much moisture will rot the plants.

8)son chapha:MICHELIA CHAMPAKA:Michelia is related to Magnolias but the flowers are not as big and pretty. They are just as heavily scented though. This Michelia is used to make "Joy" perfume. Michelias grow fast to provide
shade. Trimming will be needed to keep it under control. It blooms heavy all year round you can
trim it if necessary after the flowers are gone.

9)raat rani:Cestrum nocturnum:Night-blooming cestrum, Night blooming jasmine, Rat ki rani रात की रानी (Hindi), Thabal lei (Manipuri), Hasna hana (Bengali), Raatrani रातराणी (Marathi, Konkani) ...the most famous and easily available night bloomer in india.In my opinion , Cestrum nocturnum, has the strongest fragrance out of all the fragrant plants we carry. In the evening the fragrance becomes almost intoxicating. It is a common misconception that this bush is fragrant only at night. It is true that the fragrance is stronger in the evening but you can still smell a light scent all day long.

10) Saussurea obvallata / Brahma Kamal:It is a beautiful night blooming flower named after the Hindu god Brahma. It is native to China, India and Burma. It blooms once a year at night time and has many medical uses.

11)Murraya paniculata Kamini:Kamini flowers have an aromatic orange-like fragrance. Native to India, Kamini is a large, multi-trunked shrub, but can grow to become a small tree. It can be pruned and also grown as garden hedge! The dark green leaves make a dramatic backdrop for the highly fragrant cream colored flowers. The shrub blooms most of the year. The flowers are followed by small oval red fruits with one or two seeds. The shrub is usually propagated from seed.

12)water lilly:Nymphaea sp.:Water Lily flowers are wonderfully showy and fragrant, lasting only a few days.The flowers are fragrant with a yellow center.The leaves are flat, spherical with a waxy water repellent upper side with green colour and purplish colour underneath.While water lilies appear delicate, don't let their exotic aura fool you. These flowers are as tough as they are beautiful.