- What is a Goth Garden?<\/a><\/li>
- Why are Goth Gardens Gaining in Popularity?<\/a><\/li>
- What Makes a Garden Goth?<\/a><\/li>
- How to Create Your Own Goth Garden<\/a>
- Choose a Theme<\/a><\/li>
- Decide on the Design and Layout<\/a><\/li>
- Pick Your Plants<\/a><\/li>
- Add Hardscaping Features<\/a><\/li>
- Opt for Ornamental Features<\/a><\/li>
- Experiment With Lighting<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
What is a Goth Garden?<\/h2>
![\"Goth](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Chloe-garden-2.jpg\")
Goth garden with various dark-leafed plants. Photo Credit: Chloe Hurst<\/a> \/ The Goth Garden<\/figcaption><\/figure> A goth garden creates a gloomy atmosphere through its plants, ambiance, and hardscaping elements. For Hurst, creator of The Goth Garden<\/a> on Instagram, goth gardens \u201care more about the overall atmosphere \u2014 something moody, intriguing, and a little dramatic.\u201d <\/p>
Sarah Browning, community forester for the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and Nebraska Forest Service, says, in contrast to other gardening styles, \u201cGoth gardens are more enclosed, either with hardscaping (fences or walls) or by plants. Compared to the open, bright cottage garden, a goth garden is moody and \u2018secret\u2019, often with trees providing shade and darkness.\u201d<\/p>
Why are Goth Gardens Gaining in Popularity?<\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Milan-Cathedral.jpg?wsr\")
Milan Cathedral is an example of gothic architecture. Photo Credit: Michele<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> The modern goth movement was born as an urban subculture based on the post-punk musical scene. In the late 1970s, bands like The Cure and Bauhaus gained popularity, bringing with them dark makeup and melancholic lyrics.<\/p>
But hallmarks of today\u2019s goth aesthetic \u2014 horror, romance, and the supernatural \u2014 have their roots in earlier artistic movements. Medieval architecture (think pointed arches and stained glass) and 19th-century gothic literature (often set in dramatic, dark, isolated locales) strongly influence 21st-century goth culture and artistic expression.<\/p>
More recently, Netflix\u2019s \u201cWednesday\u201d series, Lady Gaga\u2019s new album, and social media trends have marked a revival of goth aesthetics in pop culture. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram help the community to spread its lifestyle and inspire goths everywhere to express themselves. <\/p>
With that, goth gardening showed up as a trend that encourages goths to extend their style, even outdoors. Goth gardens have become a way to create an immersive universe in your own home. As Hurst says of her goth garden, \u201cWith every addition, the space transforms, becoming more hauntingly beautiful and immersive.\u201d<\/p>
What Makes a Garden Goth?<\/h2>
![\"Dark-leafed](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Astilbe-Dark-Side-of-the-Moon.jpg?wsr\")
Dark Side of the Moon astilbe plants are a great addition to a goth garden. Photo Credit: Diane Blazek<\/a> \/ National Garden Bureau<\/figcaption><\/figure> You don\u2019t have to decapitate your roses Morticia-style to achieve a goth garden. Instead, invest in creating ambiance with decorative pieces, and choose plants with dark colors or plants that bloom in shades of red, purple, or even white (for a stark contrast against the dark foliage). <\/p>
Diane Blazek, executive director of the National Garden Bureau, says that non-living elements help make a garden \u201cgoth\u201d (how appropriate). Goth gardens usually include hardscaping (like statuary), she says, and the actual layout of the garden also can add the goth feel when you plan for a hidden-away garden mood.<\/p>
How to Create Your Own Goth Garden<\/h2>
Each goth garden, like each goth gardener, is unique. Start with a theme for inspiration. Next, draw out a loose design, complete with plants, hardscape features, special ornamental touches, and spooky lighting to bring life to your newly hallowed space.<\/p>
Choose a Theme<\/h3>
Browning emphasizes the importance of studying before getting your hands dirty: \u201cLearn more about the design styles used to create a goth garden.\u201d She advises gardeners to gather pictures for inspiration and to choose the features they want to add to their garden before they begin.<\/p>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Hurst-Quote-small.jpg?wsr\")
Illustration by Whitney Lehnecker \/ LawnStarter<\/figcaption><\/figure> Some of the most popular themes for goth gardens are:<\/p>
Graveyard:<\/strong> What could be more gothic than a graveyard? The Addams family would agree. With a graveyard as a backyard, Wednesday herself grew up surrounded by aging headstones. <\/p>
You can recreate this atmosphere with moss-covered angel sculptures, or do as Hurst does and add small gravestone plaques with the names of each of your plants. <\/p>
Victorian: <\/strong>Victorian goth gardens evoke romance, but also melancholy and a sense of nostalgia. Invest in crimson-colored plants and go for vintage and thrifted decorative treasures such as old birdbaths. Victorian-style gardens also incorporate ironwork: iron doors, window grilles, or gates.<\/p>
Ivy: <\/strong>There\u2019s nothing quite like an ivy-covered garden. It evokes an instant feeling of old, untouched gloom, like the nostalgic atmosphere of gothic novels. Ivy creeping over walls, windows, or other stone accents offers an interesting textural contrast to the hardscaping elements of a garden.<\/p>
Moon garden: <\/strong>The night is the inspiration and preferred time for many goths. The quiet atmosphere, the silence, and sounds of nocturnal creatures, and of course, the moon \u2014 these are all elements valued in goth culture. <\/p>
Arrange plants with light-colored blooms that reflect the moonlight and night-blooming plants<\/a> around a gothic gazebo or trellis to create the perfect moon garden.<\/p>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/black-roses.jpg?wsr\")
Black roses. Photo Credit: boyisteady<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> Rose garden: <\/strong>Nothing says gothic romance quite like the classic red roses. With blood-red blooms whose beauty contrasts against the rough thorns, roses are a call for drama. Have fun with different colors \u2014 black, white, or baby pink roses are great additions. Or maybe arrange them in a thorn bouquet just like Morticia\u2019s.<\/p>
Poison garden: <\/strong>This one might be a little eccentric and require some extra caution. Poison gardens often display toxic plant species such as foxglove. Add carnivorous plants to the mix for a true homage to Baudelaire\u2019s book title, \u201cFlowers of Evil.\u201d Just remember, this might not be a good idea if you have small children or pets in your home.<\/p>
Crypt Garden: <\/strong>For those searching for a hideout from the world, a crypt-inspired design might be the option for you. Crypts are all about aged stones, decorative skulls, and other church-like features such as arched windows or stained glass (which provides a nice ambiance during moonlit nights).<\/p>
Choose shade-loving plants<\/a>, such as \u2018Wicked Witch\u2019 coleus and \u2018Eclipse\u2019 hydrangea, that thrive in secluded, partially lit spaces.<\/p>
Decide on the Design and Layout<\/h3>
After you decide on your theme, it\u2019s time to draw the first draft. Plan your design and the garden layout before adding any elements. Remember that goth gardens often have a feel of secrecy or of a hidden place. <\/p>
Blazek suggests using the design and layout of the garden itself to enhance the goth atmosphere: \u201ctwisting paths, pocket or \u2018secret\u2019 gardens set apart by walls and arches, or even a maze built of hedges.\u201d<\/p>
For Browning, the first step is to \u201cassess the current garden layout and, if necessary, start to create a ‘backbone’ structure with evergreens or shrubs to create those hidden, tucked-away nooks.\u201d<\/p>
Pick Your Plants<\/h3>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Plants-Combined-Square-small2.jpg\")
Illustration by Whitney Lehnecker \/ LawnStarter; Photos by Chloe Hurst<\/a> \/ The Goth Garden<\/figcaption><\/figure> Here\u2019s where the real fun starts. Choose plants with dark foliage or high-contrast colors and play with textures. For Hurst, some of the essential plants for goth gardens are:<\/p>
- Dark sedum cultivars:<\/strong> \u2018Night Embers\u2019, \u2018Back in Black\u2019, \u2018Dark Magic\u2019, and \u2018Plum Dazzled\u2019 are essentials in her garden (and are pollinator- and bee-friendly). Hurst says they’re fantastic for layering in between taller and smaller plants.<\/li>
- \u2018Black Mamba\u2019 petunias:<\/strong> A staple in her garden, these were the first flowers she added to create her goth garden. A true black flower with a velvety touch, \u2018Black Mamba\u2019 petunias add elegance and a real goth essence.<\/li>
- Ninebark: <\/strong>\u2018The Panther\u2019, \u2018Little Devil\u2019, and \u2018Fireside\u2019 varieties are especially interesting for a goth garden. <\/li>
- Hibiscus: \u2018<\/strong>Midnight Marvel\u2019 and \u2018Cookies and Cream\u2019 varieties are perfect for those in search of a dramatic bloom and high contrast. \u201cBoth have nearly black foliage paired with dinner plate-sized flowers that either look like Dracula’s cape or full moon light,\u201d says Hurst.<\/li> <\/ul>
Felicia Feaster, author of the book \u201cThe Goth Garden: The Mystery, Beauty, and Lore of Dark Gardening<\/a>,\u201d has two interesting suggestions for those just starting out with their goth project: rosemary and English lavender. For her, their silvery tones stand out against other plants\u2019 dark foliage. Additionally, these two plants have been used historically to embalm, heal, and for their aromatic properties.<\/p>
See Related: <\/strong>13 Best Flowers and Plants for Goth Gardens<\/a><\/p>
Add Hardscaping Features<\/h3>
Once you have the living \u201cbackbone\u201d in place, next build out the structure of your goth garden with your hardscaping elements. Blazek suggests:<\/p>
- Install gates, frames, and stone arches: <\/strong>Arched structures are a classic in gothic architecture. Iron gates and frames can help create different areas inside your garden or separate your garden from other areas of your yard, intensifying the sense of mystery and secrecy that goth gardens usually go for.<\/li>
- Create a path: <\/strong>Use stones or wood planks to create pathways in your garden. Maybe they can lead to nowhere, or maybe they can lead to an aged statue or a secret nook with a bench where you can enjoy a book. <\/li>
- Add walls: <\/strong>Along with gates, frames, and arches, use stone or brick walls to create separate areas. You can let ivy creep over the walls or create a sense of antiqueness by spreading a mix of yogurt and moss over them, as this will invite moss to grow over the structure.<\/li>
- Use other vertical features:<\/strong> Browning recommends being creative with vertical features: \u201cAn arbor covered with vines or a gazebo can also help create the goth feel.\u201d<\/li> <\/ul>
Opt for Ornamental Features<\/h3>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/gothic-gargoyle.jpg?wsr\")
Gothic gargoyle. Photo Credit: JohnScott<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> Use ornamental features to bring your theme to life. Hurst says she loves \u201clayering plants with pieces like urns, statues, or unexpected thrifted treasures.\u201d<\/p>
- Add statues:<\/strong> Replace traditional garden gnomes with gargoyles, skulls, or angel figures, or take inspiration from your favorite gothic novels or authors: Edgar Allan Poe, Charlotte Bront\u00eb, and Mary Shelley. For example, why not add a raven statue as the centerpiece for an annual plein air reading of \u201cThe Raven\u201d? \u201cNevermore!\u201d<\/li>
- Incorporate a pond or birdbath: <\/strong>Water elements can elevate the romantic and calm feel in your garden. They can also attract birds<\/a> to your garden, adding that whimsical touch.<\/li>
- Decorate with urns: <\/strong>Decorative urns and plant pots can serve as focal points, adding aesthetic value to your garden. <\/li>
- Vintage or antique pieces: <\/strong>A rusted old lantern, moss-covered stones, old furniture, and antique pieces can bring a sense of history to your garden.<\/li> <\/ul>
Feaster advises turning your garden Dracula-friendly: \u201cInvite pollinators into your garden by leaving a certain amount of leaf litter and dried and dead plants (also very goth!) in your garden,\u201d she says. \u201cThere are a host of nocturnal pollinators that come out at night like hawk moths, beetles, bioluminescent fireflies, and bats.\u201d<\/p>
Wildlife Tip: <\/strong>Fake cobwebs are a true danger to bats and other wildlife species that are crucial for the environment. Instead, let nature take its course and add dense foliage to your garden, where real spiders will build their webs (and help you catch mosquitoes and all sorts of annoying critters).<\/p>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Feaster-Quote-small.jpg?wsr\")
Illustration by Whitney Lehnecker \/ LawnStarter<\/figcaption><\/figure> See Related: <\/strong>Turn Your Yard Into a Certified Wildlife Habitat<\/a><\/p>
Experiment With Lighting<\/h3>
Goth gardens typically have a moody and gloomy feeling that darker, shadowy places bring. But that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t play with light. Use windows to create focal points in your garden. You can also add Victorian or gothic-framed arched windows and stained glass for a church-like atmosphere.<\/p>
The Future of Goth Gardening<\/h2>
Goth gardens are here to stay, but bringing life to a dead or neglected patch of earth isn\u2019t for the faint-hearted soul. For help tending your goth garden or mowing the lawn before trick-or-treaters arrive, count on one of our LawnStarter landscaping<\/a> or lawn care pros<\/a> to help you start the Halloween season strong.<\/p>
\t\t\t\t\t\tSources:<\/strong><\/p> \t\t\t
<\/span><\/div> \t\t<\/div> \t\t\t- Chloe Hurst<\/a>, content creator and founder of The Goth Garden Instagram page. Personal interview.<\/li>
- Diane Blazek<\/a>, executive director of the National Garden Bureau. Personal interview.<\/li>
- Felicia Feaster<\/a>, author of \u201cThe Goth Garden: The Mystery, Beauty and Lore of Dark Gardening.\u201d Personal interview.<\/li>
- Sarah Browning<\/a>, community forester for the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and Nebraska Forest Service. Personal interview.<\/li>
- \u201cGoth Garden: Spooky and Beautiful<\/a>.\u201d National Garden Bureau.<\/li>
- \u201cEmbrace Your Dark Side to Create the Perfect Goth Garden<\/a>.\u201d By Sarah Browning, Extension educator. Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County.<\/li> <\/ul> <\/div> \t\t<\/div> <\/div>
- Diane Blazek<\/a>, executive director of the National Garden Bureau. Personal interview.<\/li>
- Incorporate a pond or birdbath: <\/strong>Water elements can elevate the romantic and calm feel in your garden. They can also attract birds<\/a> to your garden, adding that whimsical touch.<\/li>
- Create a path: <\/strong>Use stones or wood planks to create pathways in your garden. Maybe they can lead to nowhere, or maybe they can lead to an aged statue or a secret nook with a bench where you can enjoy a book. <\/li>
- \u2018Black Mamba\u2019 petunias:<\/strong> A staple in her garden, these were the first flowers she added to create her goth garden. A true black flower with a velvety touch, \u2018Black Mamba\u2019 petunias add elegance and a real goth essence.<\/li>
- Decide on the Design and Layout<\/a><\/li>
- Why are Goth Gardens Gaining in Popularity?<\/a><\/li>