Building a Compost Bin
Colorful Selections for Shade
Indeterminate or Determinate Tomatoes?
Designing with Curved Terraces
Mulch for a Healthy Garden
Pretty in Pink
Fragrant Plants for Pathways
Dwarf Citrus Trees
Save Money by Growing Your Own
Homegrown / Homemade
Elephant's Ears
Plant an Easy-to-Water Strawberry Jar
Fast-Growing Trees for Impatient Gardeners
In Pursuit of the Perfect Potting Shed
6 Tips for Weed Control
Stylish Shady Containers
NEW Video Series: There's a Better Way
Thoughts From a Foreign Field
Lawn Alternatives
Plants that Spark!
Slideshow: Beautiful Clematis
Containers as Focal Points
Garden Confidential: A Plant Walks into a Bar
Make a Succulent Topiary
Comfortable Alfresco Dining

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SLIDESHOW Bodacious Black Plants

Jennifer Benner

If your beds lack drama or depth, there's an easy fix: Just add black.

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'Ghost' lady fern
This pretty and elegant fern adds a hint of drama to any shady bed. Read more...

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'Diamond Head' elephant's ear
'Diamond Head' elephant's ear
Probably the most alluring of the elephant's ears group, 'Diamond Head' is also one of the biggest black perennials a gardener can get their hands on. Read more...

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'Ellen Huston' dahlia
'Ellen Huston' dahlia
Black foliage topped off with a scarlet flower -- Ellen Huston must've been quite a character. Read more...

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'Brunette' snakeroot
'Brunette' snakeroot
This chocolate-leaved cultivar up to 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide bears compact spikes of white flowers in late summer. Read more...

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'Solar Sunrise' coleus
'Solar Sunrise' coleus
Don't even think of using 'Solar Sunrise' as a filler plant; its dark color and lighter accents make it quite the thriller. Read more...

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Purple Pixie™ Chinese fringe flower
Purple Pixie™ Chinese fringe flower
This nearly-black evergreen is a statement plant in any lanscape. Read more...

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Purple shamrock
Purple shamrock
Purple shamrock's pretty foliage and dainty flowers make it a good choice for containers, borders, or indoors. Read more...

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'Royal Wedding' Oriental poppy
'Royal Wedding' Oriental poppy
White frills with dark details: would you have a 'Royal Wedding' any other way? But don't let looks fool you. 'Royal Wedding' is hardy to -30ºF and handles dry spells with grace becoming to its name. Read more...

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'Black Knight' pincushion flower
'Black Knight' pincushion flower
Oh, you've never seen a black pincushion flower? Take one home from the nursery and your blue varieties will forever play second fiddle. Read more...

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'Postman's Pride' sedum
'Postman's Pride' sedum
Look to this luscious dark succulent for understated drama. Like other sedums, 'Postman's Pride' is useful in rock and xeriscape gardens because, once established, it thrives without irrigation except during severe droughts. Read more...

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A Guide to Spring Gardening Chores