Enchanted Floral Curtain

Summer time is here again and I realized this year that despite always claiming it is not my favorite time of year, it sort of is! Well, if you leave the humidity out of it.

Summer allows me a favorite pastime — working in the garden and writing about it as well. Tending the soil is such a relaxing and productive way to relieve the stress of our everyday life. Working with the elements is a way of honoring our higher power, and watching the beauty unfold is an added bonus! If you don’t have a yard, try filling a deck or porch with potted plants, or grow a few on a window sill. Living plants bring the very best Chi and really do lift our spirits.

This year I am bringing back something we used to enjoy immensely when my children were young — an Enchanted Floral Curtain that is an interesting addition to any garden but also offers a bit of privacy.

You can create a living curtain that will bloom both day and night! All you will need is:

A package of Morning Glory (I. tuberosa) seeds
A package of Moonflower (I. purpurea alba) seeds
Two wooden dowels approximately 4 feet high
Some string

Soak the seeds in lukewarm water for 24–48 hours for faster germination. Don’t forget to label each set of seeds so you know which is which. Place in small peat pots so you can plant directly into the soil. They like moist to dry soil — take care not to over water.

Construct the curtain frame using the dowels. Secure them into the soil about 3–4 feet apart depending on how large a curtain you desire. Tie string from dowel to dowel about every 12 inches, then top to bottom using an over and under weave.

When seeds are ready to be planted, alternate Morning Glory seeds and Moonflower seeds. As plants begin to shoot up, train shoots around the string and they will begin to climb in about two weeks. Water every 3–4 days or if the soil appears dry.

Your Floral Curtain will last until the first frost. Nothing is quite as lovely or exquisite as a Moonflower — and they will attract night moths and insects that are beneficial to all types of garden.