Gardeners: Black is Back!

by Lynn Kirk, Public Relations Writer, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden,  reprinted with permission from the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Savvy garden designers seeking drama and intrigue recognize the power of black. There’s a world of black beauties – more than 4,000 plants sporting dark-hued foliage, flowers or fruit – that can innovatively transform any garden from ordinary to extraordinary. Though true-black plants are a rarity in nature, dark cultivars of familiar plants are being introduced at an increasing rate. Today, the tulip, geranium, pansy, sweet potato vine, elephant’s ear and even the orchid sport popular basic-black varieties.

Black plants seem to lack color, but they actually demonstrate an overabundance of anthocyanins, which are pigment compounds found in flowers and fruits. Their blackness is actually deep blue, red or another combination that appears black in sunlight.

“Black is misunderstood and people are reluctant to use it in quantity, but black is an asset to any garden,” said Karen Platt, founder of the International Black Plant Society. Platt has experimented with black plants for more than 20 years and authored three books on the subject. “Black plants offer more depth and excellent contrast with brighter plants, rendering them brighter still,” she said. Deep-colored plants also rev up cool color palates, adding exciting depth to silvers and blues. Whether used in a foreground border or incorporated in a backdrop, deep-colored companion plants add depth to landscapes and accent light-colored fences and trellises. The darkest-of-the-dark plants serve as alluring focal points for container plantings, providing unique blends of sophistication and elegance. Their distinctiveness also prompts interesting conversation among garden admirers.
The gardener does need to be knowledgeable, however, since use of darkly colored flowers and foliage has its own set of cautions. Some designers suggest avoiding all-black gardens since the plants tend to disappear against soil and mulch, creating a black-hole effect rather than distinctive prominence. The juxtaposition of black plants with colorful plantings is the key to visual interest. For the same reason, dark cultivars should be paired with brightly hued containers and garden decoratives. And in terms of plant performance, areas with sufficient sun are important since too much shade may cause black plants’ coloring to become dull and uninteresting.
“Black has earned its place in the garden. It’s for those who dare to be different,” said Platt, who continues black plant gardening in Sheffield, England. Platt’s book and related periodicals are available at the Lora M. Robins Library at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

A list of plants with black foliage and flowers.

CONSERVATORY DISPLAY

Editor’s Note: This article first published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, on Feb. 12, 2012.