Dusk in the Garden (gouache style)

Dusk changes a garden. As light fades, colours drain away while white and pale flowers seem to glow, which is why some gardeners plant white borders to enjoy in the evening. Vita Sackville-West's White Garden at Sissinghurst in Kent is the best-known example. Evening-scented plants such as honeysuckle and night-scented stock release their scent for the moths that pollinate them, and Britain has around 2,500 moth species. Bats hunt over lawns and ponds, and the blackbird sings its last song.

White foxgloves are easy to grow for evening light: sow them in early summer and they'll flower the following June. Sow night-scented stock outdoors from April to May, close to a path or seat, and plant honeysuckle against a fence in autumn or spring. Moths need more than flowers, so leave some long grass, ivy and native shrubs for their caterpillars. Keep outdoor lighting low and warm-toned, and switch it off when it's not needed, since artificial light disturbs moths and bats.

White foxgloves glow at dusk, with a lit window behind and moths drawn to the flowers. It's the short spell when the house lights come on and the garden is handed over to night-flying insects. The pale spires stay visible long after everything else has faded into shadow.