Container Garden Plan: Back to Black

Bright greens pop against deep purples in this five-plant container garden that does well in sun or shade.

“Back to Black” Container Garden Specs:

  • Full sun to full shade
  • Container: 16″ long x 16″ wide x 14″ high
A light-colored container does a great job showing off dark foliage and flowers, especially in shady sites. Photo © Rob Cardillo, excerpted from Container Theme Gardens

Plant #1: Black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’) | One 3- to 4-inch pot

Other possibilities: Another 4- to 8-inch-tall, mounded or spiky plant with dark foliage, such as ‘Black Knight’ echevaria (Echeveria) or Chocolate Chip ajuga (Ajuga reptans ‘Valfredda’)

Black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’) | Photo © Rob Cardillo, excerpted from Container Theme Gardens

Plant #2: ‘Jungle Beauty’ ajuga (Ajuga reptans) | One 4- to 6-inch pot

Other possibilities: Black Scallop (‘Binblasca’) or ‘Purple Brocade’ ajuga or another 4- to 8-inch-tall, bushy to somewhat trailing plant with deep purple or purple-and-green leaves, such as black rose (Aeonium arboretum ‘Zwartkop’) or Charmed Velvet oxalis (Oxalis ‘Jroxachvel’)

‘Jungle Beauty’ ajuga (Ajuga reptans) | Photo © Rob Cardillo, excerpted from Container Theme Gardens

Plant #3: ‘Gotham’ heuchera (Heuchera) | One 4- to 6-inch pot

Other possibilities: ‘Obsidian’ heuchera or another 8- to 12-inch-tall, mounded or upright plant with dark leaves, such as Blackbird spurge (Euphorbia ‘Nothowlee’) or ‘Black Velvet’ or ‘Midnight Twist’ begonia (Begonia)

‘Gotham’ heuchera (Heuchera) | Photo © Rob Cardillo, excerpted from Container Theme Gardens

Plant #4: ‘Heartthrob’ violet (Viola) | One 3- to 4-inch pot

Other possibilities: ‘Mars’ violet or another 6- to 8-inch-tall, bushy to somewhat trailing plant with black flowers or black-and-green leaves, such as ‘Black Velvet’ petunia (Petunia), ‘Molly Sanderson’ viola (Viola), or ‘Black Snowflake’ or ‘Sugar and Spice’ foamflower (Tiarella)

‘Heartthrob’ violet (Viola) | Photo © Rob Cardillo, excerpted from Container Theme Gardens

Plant #5: ‘Sibila’ coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) | One 3- to 4-inch pot

Other possibilities: ‘Chocolate Drop’ or ‘Inky Fingers’ coleus or another 12- to 18-inch-tall, bushy or upright plant with near-black foliage or flowers, such as ‘Chocoholic’ bugbane (Actaea) or ‘Black Star’ calla lily (Zantedeschia)

‘Sibila’ coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) | Photo © Rob Cardillo, excerpted from Container Theme Gardens

Tidbits, Tips, and Tricks

The right pot. Go neutral with a pale gray or tan, or, for something really eye-catching, choose a ceramic container with a metallic-looking glaze, or even an actual silvery metal, such as brushed aluminum or galvanized steel.

A colorful touch. If you like black- and purple-leaved plants but don’t want to go completely over to the dark side, feel free to add a touch of color to this five-plant collection by replacing one or two of the plants with white-variegated or silver foliage, or with white, bright pink, or red flowers. Or, brighten the mood with a colorful ornament or bit of decorative trellis as an accent.

Sunning back the black. The five-plant grouping can get by on just a couple of hours of sun a day, but be aware that when dark-leaved plants get too much shade, they can look more greenish than black. If you notice that happening to your container combination, try moving it to a slightly brighter site. Just an extra hour or two of sun can make a big difference.

TEXT AND PHOTOS EXCERPTED FROM CONTAINER THEME GARDENS © NANCY J. ONDRA.


Nancy J. Ondra

Nancy J. Ondra

About the Author

Nancy J. Ondra, author of Container Theme Gardens, is a garden writer and editor as well as the former owner and operator of a small rare-plant nursery. She is the author or co-author of a dozen gardening books, including Foliage (winner of the 2008 Book Award from the American Horticultural Society), The Perennial Gardener’s Design Primer (winner of a 2006 Silver Award from the Garden Writers Association), Five-Plant Gardens, The Perennial Care Manual, Fallscaping, and Grasses. She currently gardens in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and blogs at http://www.hayefield.com.


Rob Cardillo has been photographing gardens, plants, and the people who tend them for more than 20 years. Formerly the director of photography at Organic Gardening, he now works for major publishers, horticultural suppliers, and landscape designers throughout the United States. Visit him at robcardillo.com.

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