Dark foliage can make flower beds, planters rock
You can find sidekicks everywhere: TV, of course (Ed Mcmahon to Johnny Carson); movies (Walter Sobchak to Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski); literature (Dr. Watson to Sherlock Holmes).
Many well-designed gardens even have sidekicks — plants that elevate their neighbors and create an experience greater than the sum of its individual parts.
Plants with black foliage offer a classic example.
On their own, they don’t seem to accomplish much. Tending to recede visually, such foliage can look washed-out in bright sun or resemble a black hole in shade.
But paired with, say, hot colors or soft pastels, dark leaves make something special happen.
Neighboring flowers and foliage gain visual oomph while the whole combination becomes interesting and dramatic.
Important disclaimer: Truly black leaves are rare if not nonexistent. Close examination reveals that plants described as black usually are dark purple, maroon or bronze.
Gardeners seeking to add dark drama to their designs can take several approaches:
• Using black foliage as a background for other plantings.
Dark leaves function as a neutral that goes with just about anything — think of a black coat or pants that you can pair with everything in your wardrobe.
• Adding a black plant to a container combination to create contrast.
Because a container naturally draws the eye, make sure that yours rewards the viewer. Black foliage can
transform a good-enough combination into a spectacular one.
• Relying on black to make the most of other colors.
Hot, tropical hues — such as red, orange and fuchsia — almost sizzle next to a dark neutral.
On the other hand, gentle pastels — pink, lavender and light blue — gain definition when black is nearby.
Or if you’re all about drama, combine black with other neutrals — silver or white flowers and foliage — for an elegant, minimalist effect.
Fortunately, a blackleaved plant exists for almost any need or niche, from big and bold to small and delicate. Even some herbs sport “black” leaves, such as basil — look for Purple Ruffles or Purple Dark Opal.
Here are a few more suggestions from the murky, mysterious world of black plants:
• Annuals grow for only one summer and offer a low-commitment way to experiment with dark foliage.
These affordable plants can be grown anywhere but look especially striking in a container. Look for: purple heart (setcreasea), along with coleus and sweet potato vine, both available in many named cultivars.
• Perennials, which return year after year, come in an amazing variety of forms and textures. In many gardens, they are the dominant feature.
Look for: Black Pearl coral bells (heuchera); Britt-marie Crawford ligularia; and Black Jack sedum.
• Shrubs can provide an eye-catching backdrop or focal point. As a bonus, many dark-leaved shrubs also produce lovely flowers.
Look for: Black Lace elderberry (sambucus); Spilled Wine weigela; and Royal Purple smoke tree (cotinus).
Diana Lockwood, a freelance writer covering gardening topics, posts on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ mrsgardenperson.