Twilight gardening is a way to extend enjoyment of outdoor plants past normal hours, said a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
 
     “Twilight gardens are designed to be at their best at dusk, when natural light is fading,” said David Trinklein.
 
     Appropriate plants for twilight gardens include those with light-colored silver and grey leaves. White flowers also maximize light.
 
     Look for plants with flowers that open after the sun sets. “Finding flowers that are night-blooming, fragrant and light in color is the ultimate challenge for gardening enthusiasts,” Trinklein said.
 
     Here are a few plants that are excellent candidates for twilight gardens:
 
          -Dusty miller. Its dissected leaves are silvery white because of a coat of tiny hairs that protect against moisture loss. Most cultivars of this seed-propagated annual reach a height of 8 to 12 inches.
 
          -Evening primrose. This hardy perennial spreads quickly and forms a moundlike mass of foliage about 12 inches high. Its pale flowers open at night.
 
          -Flowering tobacco. This annual bedding plant is available in many colors and cultivars. While any flowering tobacco with light-colored flowers is a good addition, the old-fashioned white flower tobacco perhaps is the best.
 
          -Four o’clock. Here’s a must for a twilight garden. Flowers open late in the afternoon and remain open all night while emitting a pleasant fragrance. It is an annual plant with bushlike foliage that reaches a mature height of about 15 inches.
 
          -Jasmine. Jasmine is prized for its fragrance. All species are tropical and treated as annuals in Missouri. Royal jasmine bears small white flowers in abundance. They are well-suited for container gardening and can be moved to a sunny indoor location during winter.
 
          -Moonflower. “Everyone should plant moonflower at least once in their life,” Trinklein said. This annual vine may reach a height of up to 20 feet in one growing season. Its white flowers tightly close during the day and open fully to a width of 4 inches or more in just a few minutes in the evening.
 
     Though a twilight garden is meant to be enjoyed in subdued lighting, its plants need adequate sunshine during the day to thrive. It helps to find a location that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight.