It might just be the next cool thing in landscaping much like black is the rage in windows. Check out the way Austin Flipsters, one of the hosts on SHG Living, incorporate black in their home transformations.
It’s likely the one color you never thought of for your garden is black. We think of gardening as a fundamentally green space with colorful accents from flowers. The color black (plants, leaves, foliage, grasses, mulch) creates a fresh modern design, provided they are planted the right way.
If you would like to create a less common, designer-looking landscape or garden around your home keep reading!
Why Designers Love Black
There is a re-discovery of the color black. Designers are calling for black windows and black walls in dining rooms, libraries, and bedrooms. We used to be afraid that black makes a room dark and ominous. Not so any longer. The color black (anything black) is the rage among interior designers.
Why not expand the color black into your outside landscapes? Much like the drama black has on interior spaces, black plants provide eye candy in outdoor landscapes. Today, it is no longer unusual to see modern houses with dark/ black exterior facades. Offsetting hard siding surfaces with softer black plant material anchors or grounds a structure. Please forgive a bit of “designer speak” here for a moment.
The key to black planting material is to think of black areas, not a few black plants. In other words, don’t just buy a few plants with black leaves or foliage. They will look lost and out of place by themselves. Black plants have to be given presence by planting a lot of them in a carefully designed, purposeful way.
Tip: Pre-order black plant material at your nursery. It is likely not in stock. Though it is available. Here is a list of the 5 fabulous black plants and their planting requirements:
Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon)
Courtesy Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/brewbooks/387522569/in/photostream/)
Mondo grass is perennial and is easy to grow in zones 5-10. It likes the full sun, is adaptable to many soil conditions, and within reason is drought tolerant. It grows well in containers as well as in gardens. It produces lavender to pink blossoms throughout the summer.
Black Potato Vine
This is an annual ornamental container plant. It can grow in sun or part-sun conditions and spreads quickly. It grows us like its common green potato plant counterpart.
Black Elephant Ear
Courtesy Flickr
Its huge, dark purple to almost black leaves are eye-catching. The plant grows to 3-6ft tall. It likes moist, if not wet soil conditions. In zones 9 or colder it is best to dig up the roots and store them in ventilated spaces over winter. Come spring, plant them in containers before transferring them into your outside garden. This may sound fussy but when you see the beauty this plant provides, you will agree it’s worth the little bit of care.
European Smoke Bush (Cotinus Coggygria)
Courtesy Flickr
This is a deciduous black shrub that grows tall; you might call it tree height. The flowers are whispy, almost smoke-like – thus its name though perhaps it should be called “smoke tree”. It likes full sun with well-drained soil.
Bush Diabolo Ninebark (Physocarpul Opulifolius)
Courtesy Flickr
Ninebark is often used as a hedge bush since it grows up to 10 feet high with good density. It is a deep purple to black bush with contrasting white or creamy pink flowers. Heat lightens the leaves to almost green at times. It thrives in partial shade and is drought tolerant.
Here is another way you might try out black plants in your garden: Growers have given us a variety of well-known and more easily obtainable plants such as black tulips, black iris, and others. Instead of the usual pink or red tulips why not plant black tulips for a change?
See if you enjoy an unconventional, dramatic touch in your garden. Minimally, it will make surrounding “common” green colors pop. Be adventurous in your design and living! Find more suggestions for adventurous living on Smart Healthy Green Living (SHGLiving)
Photo: Joshua Fuller
