Today we’re in Raleigh, North Carolina, visiting with John Matthews.

I am an avid gardener, and while my gardens show very well during the day, I really like the fact that the gardens are showcased the other half of the day—nighttime. Strategically placing landscaping lighting throughout the gardens makes the environment magical. The lighting, combined with the sounds from the 65-foot meandering creek bisecting the backyard, make entertaining at night a special occasion. In fact, the Raleigh Garden Club thought my suggestion of conducting a dusk/nighttime tour of my gardens complete with wine and appetizers was so intriguing that they made it the highlight of their 2024 garden tour schedule, which will bring members to the gardens in late May.

Serenity is not the only aspect of the gardens. The full-size bonfire pit surrounded with Edison bulbs illuminating the space, along with benches made from fallen trees, is the perfect outdoor entertainment setting in the dead of winter. Lastly, what nighttime garden paradise wouldn’t be complete without a lighted golf hole with 85-yard and 45-yard tee boxes, along with two sand traps. A bucket of beers and good friends make for a very unique golf outing!

Lights along the edge of the arbor begin to show up as the daylight dims.

Lighting guides visitors along the path and makes the steps safe to walk at night.

The seating area looks all the more alluring as it glows in the dim of evening.

Lights shining up into trees emphasize their beautiful form.

As the night gets darker, the lights get more beautiful.

Fire and lights make for a wonderful evening gathering.

Golf at night!

If you want to see more of John’s garden (during the day and night), check out his Instagram: @johnmatthewsraleigh

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard.

Buy at Amazon

The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Doug Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area.

Buy at Amazon

Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden, Revised and Updated Second Edition: A Natural Approach to Pest Control

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

This revised and updated edition of Jessica Walliser’s award-winning Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden offers a valuable and science-backed plan for bringing balance back to the garden. With this indispensable gardening reference—now updated with new research, insights, and voices—learn how to create a healthy, balanced, and diverse garden capable of supporting a hard-working crew of beneficial pest-eating insects and eliminate the need for synthetic chemical pesticides.

Buy at Amazon