If there's one thing we've learned from the gardening experts this year, it's that intentional plantscapes are making waves across backyards - and we're absolutely here for it. Laid-back, manicured lawns with all the generic plantings are a style of the past with more and more people shifting to personalized outdoor spaces.
And while goth gardens were not on our 2024 bingo card, it's a welcome thematic addition to our stack of planting aesthetics. Think of these dark-toned mysterious crops as the edgy emo sister of fairy-tale garden plants.
To learn more about the ever-intriguing goth gardens, we went to someone who has been ahead of the curve this whole time — Chloe Hurst. Known for her carefully curated gothic garden, she has given us a peek into what inspired her journey and how to grow the trend in your own home.
So if your favorite color is black and you've been meaning to carry your adoration for this hue outside your home and into your backyard, then this is your sign to do as Chloe does and cultivate your very own goth garden.
The inspiration behind Chloe's goth garden-scape
Meet the gardening world's very own Morticia — Chloe Hurst. Also known by her social alias @g0thgarden, Chloe is famous for her moody floral garden, which's almost completely cloaked in dark hues. This is not your quintessential green garden, dense with color. It's visually enthralling and demands attention in the best way.
"Growing up I was always that "weird" goth kid, and I was always into everything dark and spooky," Chloe tells us. "Alongside my darker inspirations, my mom got me into gardening at a very young age and it quickly grew into a passion as I started to mature in age."
When Chloe and her husband bought their first home in Ontario in 2018, she was certain that she wanted something different. However, contrary to her current extensive goth plant knowledge, at the time she was unaware of the existence of dark plants.
"That was all until a friend of mine opened a nursery here in Carleton Place named Ramsay Creek and introduced me to some spectacular black mamba petunias," she says. "From there, it opened an entirely new world to me knowing that plants as dark as me exist."
Chloe's bold choice of backyard ideas gave rise to the wonderfully personal garden she has today and with it, she has educated plenty of people on the magic of the gothic theme.
The mysterious blooms that come alive in Chloe's goth garden
If you're familiar with Chloe's work, then you're probably well aware of the delicately moody blooms that thrive in her backyard. But as a goth garden novice myself, I came upon plants I'd never heard of before. Clearly a pro goth gardener, she has a couple of the best plants for a forest garden, some enchanting dark floral beauties, and even black-hued filler plants.
Her garden is dotted with Arabian night cala lilies, black ipomoea, black pearl coral bells, New York night hellebores, and black magic daylilies, to name a few. But we found some special little blooms that specifically caught our eye. So let's take a look at our personal favorites from the lot.
1. Black Scallop Bugleweed
Ajuga reptans, also known as black scallop bugleweed is an evergreen grow that happens to be a great option if you're looking for low-maintenance ground covers for shade. These flowering plants are a prime crop in Chloe's goth garden and with its crinkled black leaves and striking violet flowers, we get why.
Hardiness Zones: 4 - 10
Sunlight: Full sun or shade
Soil Type: Well-drained soil
2. Black Mondo Grass
Black mondo is an unconventional pick, making it one of the perfect grass alternatives for Chloe's goth garden. This crop offers tons of visual interest with its black blades and is an easy filler plant. We recommend parsing it through your garden as filler or even using it to line your emo planting corner.
Hardiness Zones: 6 - 11
Sunlight: Partial to full shade
Soil Type: Rich/well-draining soil
3. Wicked Witch Coleus
Hope is not lost if you're short on outdoor space. Instead, you can take to planting your goth garden in containers for which Chloe's wicked witch coleus is a no-brainer. Not only is coleus known to be one of the best flowers for pots in shade but this particular 'wicked witch' variety is totally on theme.
Hardiness Zones: 10 - 11
Sunlight: Full/partial sun
Soil Type: Well-draining/acidic soil
5. Gothic bouquets
And while it pains her to cut flowers from her garden, Chloe also grows a couple of gorgeous blooms that she typically uses as cut flowers to add to her seasonal gothic bouquets. Her personal take on the best flowers for cut floral arrangements includes dark red and purple dahlias and black hero tulips and she also loves adding black (dyed) roses from Acanthus florists in Almonte.
I mean, fresh gothic flowers sourced directly from her backyard, that's pretty iconic behavior. For now, we can only envy the recipients of Chloe's home-made dark academia floral arrangements.
Chloe's pro-tips for goth garden beginners
Who said landscaping ideas needs to be boring? You can create a goth garden like this one and embrace the darkness.
If goth gardens are your next big garden project, then Chloe has some brilliant tips to help you parent a plantscape like hers. "Firstly, caring for a goth garden is like caring for any other regular garden," she says. "Always ensure you're adding plants that meet the sun or shade requirements in your yard, water daily, and ensure that your chosen plants are known to survive within your zone."
Chloe also warns gardeners against tricky online retailers boasting black blooms. "I think it's super important to make sure you don't fall for AI-generated or altered photos of plants/seeds that you can buy online," she says. "If it doesn't look real, there's a good chance it isn't!"
"Living and creating a space that is true to you is so incredibly important to me and I preach it to everyone I meet to fully lean into their personalities — no matter how unconventional," says Chloe. "Life gets in the way and creating a space that you can come home to and feel happy in is more important than you know."
So consider this your sign to tap into your personal taste and let your imagination steer for a change. Ditch tradition and you'll probably find a space that's more livable and enjoyable than all past personal abodes.
And if it's goth that you like, then take inspiration from Chloe's garden. We think it'll earn you some serious cool points and give your guests an al fresco outdoor table setting they'll always remember.
