National Geographic recently announced a new project and upcoming story, which will be entitled “Gardens by Night.” This fascinating look into night-blooming water lilies opens up a whole new world of beauty for readers and gardeners who forgot about the single, rare flower that does not require sunlight to open.

The first dispatch of the new series by National Georgaphic’s Diane Cook and Len Jenshel accounted the first field test and photo shoot of one of the 10 specimens of night bloomers they hope to capture. The success of the project will depend on patience, planning and a little luck as these many of these lilies only open one night a year. Fortunately, Cook and Jenshel happened to be in the right place at the right time as their first shoot resulted in an incredible time lapse of the one night that a particularly stunning water lily opened. Visit the National Geographic article online to see photos from the shoot.

As landscaping professionals in Colorado, we couldn’t help but be inspired by this story, which reminds us of the wonderful possibilities when designing landscapes with water. From a delightful trickle to a serenely smooth glass-like surface, there are so many ways that water can add unparalleled beauty to gardens. Colorado homeowners looking to add water features to their gardens or landscapes can schedule a complimentary design consultation with Columbine Design online.

Photos via Columbine Design