Black Plants Done Right

A garden with more drama and depth is just a few dark-colored plants away

Not all landscapes need to be bright and sunny . In fact , we gardeners crave more complexity , even a banknote of dignity , in our gardens . Deep , richly discolour foliage brings dramatic event to a garden like nothing else , and few flowers have the stop - and - look - at - me impact that pitch-black flowers do . Adding a few moody hues to your plant paletteis often a slick excogitation move , but there are a few tricks to doing it well .

As in any landscape painting design , a successful planting is never about just one plant ; it is in the combination of many plant that artistry is achieved . Do n’t be swing by the faux drama you see in parking - lot planting , where concentrical stripes of dark - leaved plants butt against recollective stripes of bright - blooming annuals — this is an easy cheat . It ’s far well to mix and mingle mordant plants throughout your bed and borders . If you take a stagger - and - strewing approach to planting and adopt the figure guidepost that survey , you ’ll have a garden that is bold but subtle , elegant yet playful , and altogether more enticing .

That is the thaumaturgy of black . Come to the glum side — you wo n’t regret it .

Expand your definition of black

When playing with black plants , opening up your palette is a must . A garden using a rigorous range of only the blackest of the black not only has distressingly few works pick but also look murky . You ’re good off letting the full chain of mountains of swarthiness creep into your design .

One plant that is the height of chic is ‘ Red Sensation ’ genus Cordyline ( Cordyline australis‘Red Sensation ’ , zona 10–11)—a somber natural spring of reddish - black foliage . It is the hint of burgundy in its leaf that allow this perennial to shine reflectively in a garden rather than to assimilate light , as straight dim plant do . Black mondo sens ( Ophiopogon planiscapus‘Nigrescens ’ , Zones 6–11 ) is an example of one of those easy - absorbing works . It ’s a true black , and its leaves suck in light source , give it a matte timbre that is almost distant . When contrast with a ground cover charge that is more broody , however , like ‘ Ogon ’ sedum ( Sedum makinoi‘Ogon ’ , Zones 6–9 ) , the combination is as cool as it is unruly .

It’s all in the combination

Green is the default color for foliage , so when contain black plants it ’s important to give thought to smoothly transitioning from the viridity of most plants to the darkness of your garden ’s star attractions . Some coloring material pairings make this task sluttish than others . Here are four that offer plenty of demarcation without ever expect overdone .

Black and blue is stylish yet unexpected

Do n’t be afraid of your garden looking like a contusion — this combo is painless . add a dab of pitch-dark leafage to blue prime give a punch to an otherwise soft planting . Most black leaves have undertone of drab and majestic in them , so these combinations are at the same time harmonious and bold . In this combo , a darkly hued ColorBlaze ® Marooned ™ coleus ( Solenostemon scutellarioides‘Marooned ’ , Zones 12–13 ) bridge over the vastly different blue of ‘ Hot Waterblue ’ lobelia ( Lobelia erinus‘Hot Waterblue ’ , annual ) , ‘ Black and Blue ’ salvia ( Salvia guaranitica‘Black and Blue ’ , Zones 7–10 ) , and ‘ Munstead ’ lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia‘Munstead ’ , Zones 5–8 ) .

Black and chartreuse keeps the mood upbeat

Using chartreuse as a planting familiar is a fashion to utilise black without committing to a somber mood . One of my preferred pairs of black and chartreuse industrial plant is really a sibling couple : Illusion ® Midnight lace sweet potato vine ( Ipomoea batatas‘NCorNSP011MNlC ’ , Zone 11 ) and Illusion ® emerald lace sweet potato vine ( I. batatas‘NCorNSP012eMlC ’ , Zone 11 ) . The shape of their foliage is exactly the same , but their in high spirits color contrast create a marvellous tautness , elevating any planting scheme .

Black and white is always chic

Side by side , this in high spirits - contrast baron couple amplifies each other ’s best caliber : The black look sour , and the white looks crisper . Here , the edgy leaf of ‘ memory loss ’ genus Heuchera ( Heuchera‘Blackout ’ , zone 4 - 9 ) ties up a blanc et blanc flowered combo like a velvet bow . Coco Chanel would be gallant .

Black and silver sets a swanky vibe

This is a dour combination — no doubt about it — but it ’s an affiliation that is exquisitely stylish and modern . Gray reflect in gardens , creating an easy foil for leave of many color , but its talent is used to the full when it is mingled with darker leaves . This combo is as high contrast as black and pea green , but rather than being cheerful , the grey portion create an elegance . Wormwood(Artemisiaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) is a go - to good friend for many a black leafage . Here , it mingles with ‘ Blackie ’ sweet potato vine ( Ipomoea batatas‘Blackie ’ , Zone 11 ) and ‘ Red Sensation ’ cordyline .

Don’t go overboard

There is a grounds black is a keystone of fashion designers : It is always appropriate , and other colors start against it . The only genuine misapprehension one can make is creating a heavy - handed look better suit to an entertainment common haunt menage than a smart garden with gothic elan . Be sparing ; be choosy . Do n’t overuse your new dingy power by making a landscape painting that smacks of a root word . Decide on a few black flora that will assist as the starring attraction of your outside space , then skirt them with a supporting plaster bandage .

Ivette Soler is a garden designer from Southern California and the source ofThe Edible Front Yard .

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black plants in a garden

Scatter them throughout.Adding just a few ‘Purple Emperor’ sedums (Sedum’Purple Emperor', Zones 3–9) to this grouping makes the composition more dynamic.Photo: Ann E. Stratton

black plants with blue plants