The Black Garden....

In reality, true black plants and flowers are difficult to find. We've given you a wicked shove in the right direction with the following eerie denizens of the garden world, some of which are the most stunning plants we've seen for a haunted garden.

Black-Leaf Sweet Potato Vine, Black Heart Ipomoea -  Produces bold, deep purple heart shaped leaves on a fast-growing, trailing vine. Perfect for flower beds or large containers. Annual. Likes partial sun. Best when used in combination window boxes, hanging baskets, or upright containers with contrasting colors for a wonderful texture. Keep consistently moist and feed the little demonic darling every two weeks with plant food. 

Queen of the Night Tulip, a real stunner, is the deepest velvety maroon, almost black. She'll add interesting depth to any gothic garden. Blooms late April to mid-May but think how lovely even the wilted blooms will look in your blackest vase on a side table or in your dreary bedroom. A nice touch!

 

Mahogany Ajuga reptans - This depressingly robust Ajuga has a flat, trailing habit and shiny, short-stemmed leaves. The deep, rich mahogany color turns darker and more lustrous during the winter months. In spring, hateful little bright-blue flower panicles appear that accentuate this little creeper's beauty. Full sun, part sun. Grows to about 6 inches.

Everyone's Favorite funeral flower, the Calla Lily, goes even more goth - The Black Forest Calla Lily produces 3-5 extraordinary flowers of deep satiny purple-black from each bulb. Real show stoppers. Grows 12-18 inches tall. Morbidly morose around borders and gateways or clutch a single lily in hand for special occasions (but watch out for their gooey juice!)

The Zorro Pansy - A truly black flower with velvety petals that glisten magically on overcast days. Note: A bit disappointing that 10% of plants may have white accents but oh well, you can't win them all. Still, their velvety texture is wonderful stroked across your starcrossed lover's brow. Annual. Full or partial sun.

 

Black Magic Violet - A dark delight with its midnight black violet petals and startlingly yellow centers will be the bitter envy of all your neighbors. Perennial, grows best in sun to partial sun, about 8-10 inches tall.  

 

 

Supertunia Royal Velvet PPAF - A Petunia hybrid, Royal Velvet is the most upright of all the Supertunias, making it well-suited to small containers. It's delightfully dusky color does not fade, so you can continue to enjoy it long after other flowers have passed-on. Supertunias are a vigorously trailing species of an ever-blooming, long-living petunia from Australia. They provide long-term color in full sun areas throughout the season, and can grow nearly an inch a day! Their profuse blossoms and fast growth make them ideal for baskets, beds, balconies and combination plantings or a dearth of funerals. Heat and cold tolerant, basket and container plantings require frequent irrigation. May be cut back, trained or pruned if desired. No need to deadhead, unless you just like PINCHING things!