garden clock

Over 200 years ago, Carols Linnaean, a Swedish botanist, told the time of day with a garden clock. He simply planted a circular garden made up of plants, which bloomed sequentially throughout the day.

Some plants flowered at sunrise. Others flowered mid –morning, mid-afternoon or at dusk. A few flowered after dark.

Examples of flowers that open at certain times of day:

• Morning glory(opens late morning if sun is shining)
• Moonflower(opens near dusk)
• Four O’clock(self referential)
• Tradensia (spider flower)(opens early morning)
• Evening primrose(opens early morning ... silly conflicting named thing)
• Night blooming jasmine(may actually be open all day but exudes strongest fragrance at night)
• California poppy(opens with warmth from sun)
• Day lilly(opens mid morning, each bloom only lasts one day)
• Crocus(opens with warmth, closes when cold, same bloom will reopen several days)

While one may not desire to fully replicate a garden clock, it is a good idea to avoid planting flowers that are unlikely to be open when one is likely to be home to enjoy them. For example, a person working 9 – 5 will seldom see his morning glories in their prime but might really enjoy a moonflower vine or a night blooming jasmine while relaxing in the evening at home.