THIS WEEK'S TIP FROM GARDEN GURU SUE BOTH

Black Beauties for Gothic Gardens

Black Beauties for a Gothic Garden

Gothic gardening may bring thoughts of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Victorian novels, but Gothic garden design simply follows the architectural style predominant in Western Europe  during the twelve and thirteen centuries. The Victorians loved the Gothic style and revived it. It is this Victorian Gothic revival style that we are most familiar with and that we can use to our advantage to create gardens of mystery and serenity. For many years I have had a fascination with black flowers and I have built up quite a collection of beautiful and sometimes rare black flowers. Here are some of my favourites.

  • Black calla Lily (Zanthedescia iliotiana ‘Sprengil’ – Part of the Arum lilly genus, this beautiful challise shaped flower is popular as an indoor plant but will grow equally well in your garden.
  • Black Petunia (Petunia x hybrid ‘Black Velvet) – The velvet textured black petals of this is an exotic addition to your Gothic garden.
  • Black Pansy (Viola x wittrockiana) – Black Pansies and Violas are widely available. Perhaps the best thing about pansies is that, under the right conditions, notably fairly cool temperatures, moist soil and decent light, they’ll bloom from early autumn until early summer. 
  • Black Anthirium (Anthurium watermaliense) – Glossy dark green leaves and spectacular deep red flowers make this plant a great indoor addition. Even though they are slightly cold sensitive, they will do well on shaded patios and protected shady garden areas.
  • Black Dracula orchid (Dracula vampire) – A striking orchid that is only found in the cloud forests of one mountain range in Ecuador. It grows on mossy trees, attached by its roots that also absorb water. It is highly sought after by orchid enthusiasts who wish to cultivate this weird and wonderfully captivating plant for its gothic beauty.
  • Black Bat Flower (Tacca chantrieri) – This rare exquisite plant with large bat shaped flowers are found in the forests of South-East Asia. A few years back I manage to source to seeds of which one germinated after six months. I have been keeping it indoors in a high light area and a few months back I had my first flower. It was definitely worth the wait.

A Gothic garden might not be everybody’s cup of tea but elements of Gothic style can effectively be used to create secret corners and special places in your garden, displaying those hidden and often rare gems.

Join us this Friday 15 October for our FREE online workshop on ‘ Orchid and Orchid Care’, with Garden Guru Sue Both. 

Please use the following login details to join us at 11am sharp over Zoom:

Meeting ID: 852 9887 5325 Passcode:  026806

or use the following direct link: https://bit.ly/3ass4a3