WAVY.com

Goth gardens are trending — here’s how to plant your own

Adobe Stock

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.

Goth gardens are having a moment

If cheerful gardens bursting with brightly hued blooms never did it for you, listen up: You might be more inclined towards a moody garden that lets you embrace your dark side. The National Garden Bureau is calling this spooky-inspired trend a goth garden, and it’s a unique way to design a statement-making garden that’s anything but basic. 


Curating a goth garden isn’t difficult, as long as you have your eyes on the right types of plants and florals, which are further elevated by decorations that incorporate the same eerie vibes. If a year-round garden with an intentionally creepy ambiance sounds right for you, read on for the best plants and ornaments to outfit your grounds.

In this article: Black Tulip Bulbs – 15 Queen of The Night Tulip Bulbs for Fall Planting BulkDesign Toscano NG33765 Remembrance and Redemption Angel Religious Garden Statue and Arcadia Garden Products PL00CP Classic Traditional Plastic Urn Planter

How to design a perfectly spooky goth garden

Filled with dark colors and themes of death and decay, goth gardens draw inspiration from the dark, brooding Victorian-era literature. You can create your goth garden’s spooky mood with plants, containers and accessories that promote a creepy ambiance. 

Choose the right plants

When selecting plants for your goth garden, focus on colors, which play an important role in focusing the mood. Plants with dark, nearly black flowers (think deep shades of purple or burgundy) are the perfect way to embrace an eerie atmosphere in your goth garden. Dark foliage is equally spooky, and it helps create a stunning contrast to your flowers. 

Try antique-looking containers

Antique pots and urns — or those that are designed to look like antiques — are a great way to add an old-world feel to your goth garden. Look for items that appear weathered and ornate.

Add gothic ornaments as accents

If you’re going all out with your goth garden, ornaments such as statues add the finishing touches. Try items with religious themes such as angels. If they have an old and weathered appearance, that’s even better. 

Best plants for creating your goth garden

Black Tulip Bulbs – 15 Queen of The Night Tulip Bulbs for Fall Planting Bulk

A dark take on traditional bright-colored tulips, these florals give off a moody dark purple-to-black hue when they bloom. To keep them healthy, plant them where they’ll get full sun exposure and water them moderately. 

CHUXAY GARDEN Black Velvet Petunia – 100 Seeds 

These rare flowers make quite a statement: The black trumpet-shaped blooms reach their peak from mid-spring to mid-fall. Just be sure to plant them where they’ll get approximately eight hours of sunlight every day.

Daylily Nursery 5 Black Scallop Ajuga reptans in 4-Inch Pots

This darkly hued foliage with gorgeously scalloped leaves yields blue flowers in the spring. They make excellent plants for erosion control, ground cover or border planting. Plant them where they’ll receive full sun or partial to light shade. 

EuroBlooms, LLC Dark Black Coral Elephant Ear Flower Bulbs – 1 Premium Size Bulb Per Pack

If you’re a beginner gardener, this statement-making plant is perfect for you: Though it requires minimal upkeep, it becomes an instant focal point of any garden. It has striking, large, heart-shaped leaves, which give off a tropical ambiance. These bulbs flourish in partial shade and well-drained, moist soil.

Outsidepride 10 Seeds Annual Coleus Dark-Chocolate Foliage

This breathtaking plant yields burgundy-violet-colored leaves, which look even darker in the shade. It’ll display its moody hue every single day from germination until hard frost. Start coleus seeds indoors in the late winter for transplanting outside in spring after the frost has passed.

3 Containers of 2.5-inch pots of Black Mondo Decorative Grass

Give your garden a gothic vibe with this black-and-purple-hued grass, that’ll keep its color year-round. The perennial plant likes full sun or partial shade with moderate watering. 

Best garden decorations for outfitting your goth garden

Design Toscano JE101261 Angel of Meditation Shelf Sitting Statue

This angelic statue is hand-cast using real crushed stone bonded with durable designer resin, then topped with an antique stone finish. The winged cherub looks stunning perched on the edge of stairs or a sunny window ledge. 

Design Toscano NG33765 Remembrance and Redemption Angel Religious Garden Statue

With prominent, elegant wings stretched to the heavens, this crouching figurine is bound to be the focal point of your goth garden. The 15-inch-high statue is hand-cast using real crushed stone bonded with durable designer resin and topped with a UV-resistant white antique stone finish.

Arcadia Garden Products PL00CP Classic Traditional Plastic Urn Planter

Upgrade your garden-variety planter with this brushed copper urn with antique vibes. The 16-inch by 18-inch pot is surprisingly lightweight, so it’s easy to maneuver as you find the perfect spot for it in your goth-inspired garden. 

OUTOUR French Style Birdcage Shape Heavy-Duty Gazebo

This durable gazebo, crafted from strong, powder-coated wrought iron, makes a stunning center point for a goth garden. The birdcage shape and four tall side panels make the structure ideal for climbing vines like ivy, clematis, wisteria, grape vines, flowers and more. The dark rust color is perfect to embrace your garden’s gothic-inspired vibes. 

HF by LT Rubber Victorian Garden Stepping Stone

Create an enchanting walkway through your goth garden with these durable, vulcanized rubber stepping stones featuring an elegant floral design. The weather-resistant pads, which are sold in a pack of three, can stay outdoors year-round and are easy to clean by simply hosing them off.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.