Enhance your outdoor entertaining area with night-scented plants that create a magical atmosphere for evening gatherings. These fragrant blooms, especially those that thrive in low light, not only add aroma but also visual interest with their striking shapes and colors.
Many of these plants release their sweetest scents at night, filling the air with delightful fragrances that drift on the evening breeze and help set a captivating mood.
When planning flower bed designs, consider that fragrant plants prefer warm, sheltered spots like patios and courtyards. Position them along pathways or near entrances for a welcoming touch, and climbing plants can beautifully adorn pergolas, enhancing your outdoor experience.
Best Night-Scented Plants for Evening Gatherings
When creating your outdoor living space, prioritize fragrant plants, especially those that bloom at night. Choose varieties that reflect light beautifully, ensuring they glow under the moonlight. Incorporate large foliage plants like fatsia japonica for a lush, enclosed feel.
Here are our top picks for night-scented plants that will elevate your outdoor entertaining area.
1. Night-Scented Phlox
This plant features petite white blooms that tightly curl during daylight, then unfurl in the evening, revealing star-shaped petals and a delightful fragrance. A compact semi-evergreen perennial, it thrives in containers around your entertainment space.
Height: 4 to 20in (10 to 50cm)
Spread: 4 to 20in (10 to 50cm)
2. Moonflower
Height: 10 to 15ft (3 to 4.6m)
Spread: 3 to 6ft (90cm to 1.8m)
3. Variegated Dogwood (Cornus alba)
Famed for its striking red stems in winter, this plant also boasts ivory-edged leaves that shimmer in the moonlight. It produces clusters of white flowers that add allure during early summer. This fast-growing variety prefers full sun to partial shade.
Height: 5 to 8ft (1.5 to 2.5m)
Spread: 5 to 8ft (1.5 to 2.5m)
4. Nicotiana alata 'Lime Green'
This tobacco plant variety exudes a strong fragrance at night, attracting moths. It features pale green trumpet-like flowers that open at dusk, making it easy to cultivate in large numbers for a stunning patio display.
Height: 2ft (60cm)
Spread: 10in (25cm)
5. Senecio cineraria 'Silver Dust'
Thriving in well-drained soil and sunny spots, this plant features delicately cut silvery-white leaves that add a shimmering touch to your evening garden. Ideal for pots, you can enjoy their beauty up close.
Height: 4 to 20in (10 to 50cm)
Spread: 4 to 20in (10 to 50cm)
6. Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
This evergreen climbing shrub is beloved for its captivating perfume. Its clusters of white flowers can elegantly drape over trellises or walls, creating a lovely atmosphere for an outdoor dining space.
Height: 13 to 26ft (4 to 8m)
Spread: 13 to 26ft (4 to 8m)
7. Night-Scented Stock
This plant's sweet aroma enchants the evening garden and attracts nocturnal pollinators. Plant them where you can easily enjoy their fragrance. The flowers can bloom in white, purple, or pink as dusk falls.
Height: 4 to 20in (10 to 50cm)
Spread: 4 to 20in (10 to 50cm)
8. Gardenia jasminoides 'Crown Jewel'
This stunning plant produces numerous creamy flowers with a captivating scent. Newer varieties like 'Crown Jewel' are hardier and can thrive outdoors in partial shade, blooming from July to September, and surviving mild winters outdoors.
Height: 2ft (75cm)
Spread: 3ft (1m)
9. Fatsia japonica
Commonly known as the castor oil plant, this large-leaved evergreen offers a tropical vibe, especially when combined with bamboos and grasses. It thrives in deep shade, making it perfect for courtyards, and its striking leaves create dramatic effects when illuminated at night.
Height: 8 to 13ft (2.5 to 4m)
Spread: 8 to 13ft (2.5 to 4m)
10. Black Bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra)
This plant is prized for its unique stems, which transition from green to glossy black, contrasting beautifully with its vibrant green leaves. Its upright growth habit creates visual impact, especially when lower leaves are removed to showcase the canes, making it ideal for night lighting.
Height: 8 to 13ft (2.5 to 4m)
Spread: 8 to 13ft (2.5 to 4m)
What Plants Are Aromatic at Night?
Plants known for their night-time fragrances include evening primrose, petunia, Wisteria floribunda, and dianthus, alongside our preferred choices like night-scented phlox, moonflower, nicotiana, star jasmine, night-scented stock, and gardenia.
Is Night-Scented Stock a Perennial?
Night-scented stock is classified as an annual, meaning you'll need to replant it each year to enjoy its delightful fragrance and vibrant colors. It's known to be easy to grow, rewarding your efforts with lovely scents from its small blooms.
Plant it in early spring, ideally from February to May, depending on your growing zone.
