The Black Beauties
House and Leisure|July 2017

Plants on the dark side of the spectrum add impact and glamour to modern gardens

Tess Paterson
The Black Beauties

As the little black dress is to fashion, so dark plants add a sense of depth and intrigue to the outdoors. The very antithesis of all things cottagey, they are viewed as sombre by some – the moody Goth cousin to the more colourful country aesthetic.

Near-black plants, though, are remarkably beautiful, and all the more so for their relative rarity in nature. Whether you’re into meadow-style landscapes à la influential Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf or bold succulent-filled containers, dark plants are playing a leading role.

BLACK IN BLOOM

‘In domestic gardens, dark plants are best used with some restraint,’ says Joburg based landscaper Tim Steyn. ‘But by contrasting almost-black plants with shades of grey, white or green, the effects can be spectacular. It’s about creating tonal layers and interspersing these dark accents as focal points within your planting.’

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