By Nikki Phipps
(Author of The Bulb-o-licious Garden)
Many people are intrigued with the Victorian black garden. Filled with attractive black flowers, foliage and other interesting additions, these types of gardens can actually add drama to the landscape.
How to Grow a Black Garden
Growing your own Victorian black garden is not hard at all. It’s basically done just like any other garden. Careful planning always helps beforehand. One of the most important factors is proper positioning. Dark-colored plants need to be placed in sunny areas to prevent them from becoming lost in the dark corners of the landscape. They should also be placed against a lighter backdrop in order to stand out more effectively.
Another aspect of the black garden is learning how to use the various tones and hues correctly. While black plants mix rather easily with other colors, some work better than others. The best thing to keep in mind when working with black palettes is choosing lighter shades that will contrast well with the black-colored plants you’ve chosen. This will actually help intensify their color and allow them to stand out easily. Black flowers/foliage can accentuate other colors if carefully placed. For instance, black plants work well when combined with silver, gold, or bright-colored tones.
In addition, keep in mind that when choosing black flowers for the garden, some may actually appear dark purple or red rather than pure black. Plant color is also likely to change depending on location and other factors such as soil pH. Black plants may also require additional watering as their darker shades can make them more susceptible to withering from the hot sun.
Black Flowers for the Garden
When using black plants for the garden, consider their various textures and forms. Look for different types of plants with similar growing requirements. There are numerous black plants to choose from that will add drama to your black garden—far too many to name. However, here is a list of black or dark-colored plants to get you started.
Black Bulbs
- Black Tulips (Tulipa x darwin ‘Queen of the Night,’ ‘Black Parrot’)
- Black Hyacinth (Hyacinthus ‘Midnight Mystique’)
- Black Calla Lily (Arum palaestinum)
- Black Elephant Ear (Colocasia ‘Black Magic’)
- Arabian Night Dahlia (Dahlia ‘Arabian Night’)
- Black Gladiolus (Gladiolus x hortulanus ‘Black Jack’)
- Black Iris (Iris nigricans ‘Dark Vader,’ ‘Superstition’)
- Black Daylily (Hemerocallis ‘Black Emanuelle’)
Black Perennials and Biennials
- Mocha Coral Bells (Heuchera x villosa ‘Mocha’)
- Black Hellebore, Christmas rose (Helleborus niger )
- Black Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii ‘Black Knight’)
- Sooty Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus nigrescens ‘Sooty’)
- Rose varieties ‘Black Magic,’ Black Beauty,’ Black Baccara’
- Black Barlow Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris var stellata ‘Black Barlow’)
- Black Night Delphinium (Delphinium x cultorium ‘Black Night’)
- Andean Silver-Leaf Sage (Salvia discolor)
- Black Pansy (Viola x wittrockiana ‘Bowles’ Black’)
Black Annuals
- Black Hollyhock (Alcea rosea ‘Nigra’)
- Chocolate Cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus)
- Moulin Rouge Sunflower (Helianthus annuus ‘Moulin Rouge’)
- Black Prince Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus ‘Black Prince’)
Black foliage plants
- Black Pussy Willow (Salix melanostachys)
- Black Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Moudry’)
- Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’)
Black Vegetables
- Eggplant
- Bell Pepper ‘Purple Beauty’
- Tomato ‘Black Prince’
- Corn “Black Aztec’
- Ornamental Pepper ‘Black Pearl’
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By Nikki Phipps
(Author of The Bulb-o-licious Garden)
How to Grow a Black Garden
Growing your own Victorian black garden is not hard at all. It’s basically done just like any other garden. Careful planning always helps beforehand. One of the most important factors is proper positioning. Dark-colored plants need to be placed in sunny areas to prevent them from becoming lost in the dark corners of the landscape. They should also be placed against a lighter backdrop in order to stand out more effectively.
Another aspect of the black garden is learning how to use the various tones and hues correctly. While black plants mix rather easily with other colors, some work better than others. The best thing to keep in mind when working with black palettes is choosing lighter shades that will contrast well with the black-colored plants you’ve chosen. This will actually help intensify their color and allow them to stand out easily. Black flowers/foliage can accentuate other colors if carefully placed. For instance, black plants work well when combined with silver, gold, or bright-colored tones.
In addition, keep in mind that when choosing black flowers for the garden, some may actually appear dark purple or red rather than pure black. Plant color is also likely to change depending on location and other factors such as soil pH. Black plants may also require additional watering as their darker shades can make them more susceptible to withering from the hot sun.
Black Flowers for the Garden
When using black plants for the garden, consider their various textures and forms. Look for different types of plants with similar growing requirements. There are numerous black plants to choose from that will add drama to your black garden—far too many to name. However, here is a list of black or dark-colored plants to get you started.
Black Bulbs
Black Perennials and Biennials
Black Annuals
Black foliage plants
Black Vegetables
Print This Article - Printer Friendly Version
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