- Trees and Shrubs<\/a>
- 1. \u2018Midnight Marvel\u2019 Hibiscus<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Harry Lauder\u2019s Walking Stick<\/a><\/li>
- 3. \u2018Summer Wine\u2019 Ninebark<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Castor Bean<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Perennials<\/a>
- 5. \u2018Dark Side of the Moon\u2019 Astilbe<\/a><\/li>
- 6. \u2018Back in Black\u2019 Sedum<\/a><\/li>
- 7. \u2018Dark Chocolate\u2019 False Indigo<\/a><\/li>
- 8. \u2018Blacknight\u2019 Hollyhock<\/a><\/li>
- 9. Rosemary<\/a><\/li>
- 10. English Lavender<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Annuals<\/a>
- 11. Dracula Celosia<\/a><\/li>
- 12. Sorbet \u2018Black Delight\u2019 Viola<\/a><\/li>
- 13. \u2018Black Mamba\u2019 Petunia<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- FAQ<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
Read More:<\/strong> If you want to learn more about goth gardens and how to get yours started, check out our article: Keep Your Yard Creepy Year-Round with a Goth Garden<\/a>.<\/p>
Best Trees and Shrubs for Goth Gardens<\/h2>
Trees and shrubs provide a solid foundation for any garden, but our selections provide a darker, moodier ambiance. With dark leaves, twisted trunks, and impressive blooms, consider these selections for your spooky space.<\/p>
1. \u2018Midnight Marvel\u2019 Hibiscus<\/h3>
![\"Midnight](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Midnight-Marvel-Hibiscus.jpg\")
Midnight Marvel Hibiscus. Photo Credit: Chloe Hurst<\/a> \/ The Goth Garden<\/figcaption><\/figure> - Latin name: <\/strong>Hibiscus <\/em>\u2018Midnight Marvel\u2019<\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>4 to 9<\/li>
- Growing conditions:<\/strong> Prefers moist, rich soils but can adapt to drier soils. Prefers full sun and has moderate to high water needs.<\/li>
- Mature size:<\/strong> 3 to 4 feet in height and width<\/li>
- Blooming time:<\/strong> Midsummer to early fall<\/li> <\/ul>
With large, striking red flowers that contrast against the dark red foliage, \u2018Midnight Marvel\u2019 hibiscus is a statement piece in any garden. Place this compact shrub at the front of a border for a true showstopper. <\/p>
For Chloe Hurst, owner of The Goth Garden<\/a> Instagram page, \u2018Midnight Marvel\u2019 is a perfect choice for those who want to add some drama to their gardens: \u201cFor \u2026 dramatic blooms, I suggest \u2018Midnight Marvel\u2019 and \u2018Cookies and Cream\u2019 hibiscus.\u201d With nearly black foliage and large, dinner plate-sized blooms, these flowers resemble Dracula’s cape or a full moon, she says.<\/p>
2. Harry Lauder\u2019s Walking Stick<\/h3>
![\"Curly](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Harry-Lauders-Walking-Stick.jpeg?wsr\")
Harry Lauder\u2019s Walking Stick. Photo Credit: DSGNSR<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> - Latin name: <\/strong>Corylus avellana <\/em>‘Contorta’<\/li>
- USDA Zones:<\/strong> 4 to 8<\/li>
- Growing conditions: <\/strong>Prefers rich, well-drained but moist soils, in full sun to partial shade<\/li>
- Mature size: <\/strong>8 to 10 feet in height and width<\/li>
- Blooming time: <\/strong>Spring<\/li> <\/ul>
Harry Lauder\u2019s walking stick has unique, contorted stems that look like something out of a Tim Burton movie. In the spring, yellow catkins hang from the tree\u2019s crooked stems and sway in the wind, contributing to its eerie vibe. <\/p>
Diane Blazek, executive director of the National Garden Bureau, suggests combining this tree with hardscaping elements such as paths or sculptures. Tall and unique, this tree adds a vertical element to your garden while giving it a mysterious atmosphere. \u201cHarry Lauder’s Walking Stick lends a quirky, spooky height element\u201d to your garden, she says. <\/p>
3. \u2018Summer Wine\u2019 Ninebark<\/h3>
![\"Clusters](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/\u2018Summer-Wine-Ninebark.jpg\")
“Summer Wine” Ninebark. Photo Credit: vaivirga<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> - Latin name: <\/strong>Physocarpus opulifolius <\/em>\u2018Summer Wine\u2019<\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>3 to 8 <\/li>
- Growing conditions: <\/strong>Prefers well-drained, average, slightly acidic soils in full sun. In the South, plant in partial shade.<\/li>
- Mature size: <\/strong>5 to 6 feet tall and wide <\/li>
- Blooming time: <\/strong>Spring<\/li> <\/ul>
With black, delicate foliage, \u2018Summer Wine\u2019 ninebark is a beautiful shrub to add to any border or can even be grown as a small flowering tree. In spring, the real show starts: Showy clusters of delicate white flowers bloom, creating a beautiful contrast against the dark foliage.<\/p>
For Hurst, ninebark is a must-have in goth gardens. In addition to \u2018Summer Wine\u2019, she also suggests other varieties, such as \u2018Panther\u2019, \u2018Little Devil\u2019, and \u2018Fireside\u2019.<\/p>
4. Castor Bean<\/h3>
![\"Spiky](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Castor-bean.jpeg?wsr\")
Castor Bean. Photo Credit: PrivinSathy<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> - Latin name: <\/strong>Ricinus communis<\/em><\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>9 to 11<\/li>
- Growing conditions:<\/strong> Rich, moist soils and full sun<\/li>
- Mature size:<\/strong> 6 to 10 feet<\/li>
- Blooming time: <\/strong>Summer and fall<\/li> <\/ul>
Castor bean is a fast-growing plant that can be added to your goth poison garden as a container plant, specimen, or hedge. But be cautious: Castor bean is considered an invasive species in some states and is incredibly poisonous<\/strong>.<\/p>
Though it\u2019s a little high-risk for most gardeners, castor bean is a favorite of Felicia Feaster<\/a>, writer of the book \u201cThe Goth Garden: The Mystery, Beauty, and Lore of Dark Gardening\u201d: \u201cI love castor bean, which has sinister-looking palmate leaves and bizarre bright red seed pods on red stalks. This annual (see Note below) is exceedingly easy to grow in containers or in the ground.\u201d<\/p>
She continues: \u201cIn addition to its dramatic appearance, it contains the incredibly deadly toxin ricin<\/strong>, which is 6,000 times more poisonous than cyanide (again, keep castor bean away from little hands and paws). How\u2019s that for goth?\u201d<\/p>
Note: <\/strong>In zones 9 to 11, castor bean <\/em>can be grown as an herbaceous perennial (foliage dies back, but will regrow the following year). Farther north, it\u2019s an annual, but reseeds readily.<\/p>
Best Perennial Flowering Plants for Goth Gardens<\/h2>
Alongside trees and perennial shrubs, flowering perennial plants provide a low-maintenance source of recurring color and interest in a goth garden.<\/p>
5. \u2018Dark Side of the Moon\u2019 Astilbe<\/h3>
![\"Astilbe](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Astilbe-Dark-Side-of-the-Moon-1.jpg\")
Astilbe <\/em>\u2018Dark Side of the Moon\u2019. Photo Credit: Diane Blazek<\/a> \/ National Garden Bureau<\/figcaption><\/figure> - Latin name: <\/strong>Astilbe <\/em>\u2018Dark Side of the Moon\u2019<\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>4 to 9<\/li>
- Growing conditions: <\/strong>Average, rich, moist soils under light shade to partial sun<\/li>
- Mature size: <\/strong>20 to 22 inches tall and 2 feet wide<\/li>
- Blooming time: <\/strong>Summer<\/li> <\/ul>
Planted as a container plant, border, or in mass plantings, this Astilbe <\/em>hybrid has tall, upright flowering stems that bloom in different shades of pink. The foliage has a deep, rich brown color. If you want a more delicate, Victorian-themed, or soft goth color palette, this variety is the perfect choice.<\/p>
6. \u2018Back in Black\u2019 Sedum<\/h3>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Back-in-Black-Sedum.jpg\")
\u2018Back in Black\u2019 Sedum. Photo Credit: Chloe Hurst<\/a> \/ The Goth Garden<\/figcaption><\/figure> - Latin name: <\/strong>Sedum<\/em> \u2018Back in Black\u2019<\/li>
- USDA Zones:<\/strong> 3 to 9<\/li>
- Growing conditions:<\/strong> Full sun and well-drained, poor to average soils<\/li>
- Mature size: <\/strong>2 feet tall and 2 1\/2 feet wide<\/li>
- Blooming time:<\/strong> Late summer through fall<\/li> <\/ul>
With beautiful black foliage, the flowers on this Sedum<\/em> hybrid bloom from late summer through fall with cream-colored petals. According to Hurst, who is a fan of sedum cultivars, they are also a great option for those aiming for a pollinator-friendly garden while maintaining the dark goth aesthetic. <\/p>
She also suggests other varieties that can suit your goth garden: \u201cAny dark sedum, like \u2018Night Embers\u2019, \u2018Back in Black\u2019, \u2018Dark Magic\u2019, \u2018Plum Dazzled\u2019, etc., are huge essentials in my garden, and the bees absolutely love it! They’re fantastic for layering in between taller (and smaller) plants.\u201d<\/p>
See Related: <\/strong><\/p>
- How to Build a Pollinator Garden<\/a><\/li>
- Top 10 Native Plants for Your Pollinator Garden<\/a><\/li>
- How to Build a Bee Lawn to Help Pollinators<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
7. \u2018Dark Chocolate\u2019 False Indigo<\/h3>
![\"Closeup](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/baptisia-dark-chocolate-small.jpg\")
“Dark Chocolate” False Indigo. Photo Credit: Walters Gardens, Inc<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> - Latin name: <\/strong>Baptisia<\/em> \u2018Dark Chocolate\u2019<\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>4 to 9<\/li>
- Growing conditions:<\/strong> Well-drained, dry to medium, average soils and full sun<\/li>
- Mature size:<\/strong> 2 to 3 feet tall and wide<\/li>
- Blooming time:<\/strong> Late spring to early summer<\/li> <\/ul>
\u2018Dark Chocolate\u2019 false indigo has long stems that stand upright with pea-shaped black-purple petals that look like little chocolates. Smaller in size, this false indigo hybrid works perfectly for urban environments. In the fall, the charcoal-black seedpods will add sinister interest to your goth garden all the way into winter.<\/p>
8. \u2018Blacknight\u2019 Hollyhock<\/h3>
![\"\u2018Blacknight\u2019](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/\u2018Blacknight-hollyhock.jpeg?wsr\")
\u2018Blacknight\u2019 Hollyhock. Photo Credit: Katarzyna<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> - Latin name: <\/strong>Alcea rosea<\/em> \u2018Blacknight\u2019<\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>3 to 9<\/li>
- Growing conditions: <\/strong>Prefers full sun but tolerates some light shade. Well-drained, fertile soils.<\/li>
- Mature size: <\/strong>5 to 6 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide<\/li>
- Blooming time:<\/strong> Summer<\/li> <\/ul>
\u2018Blacknight\u2019 hollyhock produces lovely flowers that vary slightly in tone from black to a deep brown-purple hue. Tall and elegant, it works wonderfully when planted at the back of a border or against a wall or fence.<\/p>
9. Rosemary<\/h3>
![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Rosemary.jpg?wsr\")
Rosemary. Photo Credit: Loadmaster (David R. Tribble)<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> - Latin name: <\/strong>Salvia rosmarinus<\/em><\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>8 to 10<\/li>
- Growing conditions: <\/strong>Slightly acidic, well-drained soils in full sun<\/li>
- Mature size:<\/strong> 4 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide<\/li>
- Blooming time: <\/strong>Spring and summer<\/li> <\/ul>
You don\u2019t need exotic varieties and cultivars to start your goth garden. Although it\u2019s a common home garden herb, rosemary adds an artistic touch to goth gardens, says Feaster.<\/p>
\u201cBoth rosemary and English lavender, because of their slightly silvery color and interesting form, offer great contrast with darker, more obviously goth plants,\u201d she says.<\/p>
10. English Lavender<\/h3>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/English-Lavender-1.jpg?wsr\")
English Lavender. Photo Credit: Linda<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> - Latin name: <\/strong>Lavandula angustifolia<\/em><\/li>
- USDA Zones:<\/strong> 5 to 9<\/li>
- Growing conditions: <\/strong>Well-drained to dry soils in full sun<\/li>
- Mature size: <\/strong>1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide <\/li>
- Blooming time: <\/strong>Summer<\/li> <\/ul>
Also recommended by Feaster and great for goth gardening beginners, lavender, like its cousins from the mint family, adds a soft, pleasing fragrance to your goth garden.<\/p>
Not only do rosemary and lavender add texture, color, and interest, Feaster says, \u201cThese plants also have a fascinating, story-laden history.\u201d<\/p>
\u201cLavender was often crushed with other herbs (including, perhaps, rosemary) and worn inside the beaked masks doctors donned during outbreaks of the bubonic plague in the 17th century. Those herbs were believed to protect them from disease and would also mask the smell of sickness and death.\u201d<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong> Best Sensory Garden Plants To Stimulate Our 5 Senses<\/a><\/p>
Best Annual Flowering Plants for Goth Gardens<\/h2>
Annual flowering plants provide fleeting beauty for goth gardens and can be a low-risk way to experiment with different plants each year. If you decide a plant isn\u2019t the best fit or doesn\u2019t grow well, swap it out for something else next season.<\/p>
11. Dracula Celosia<\/h3>
![\"Velvety](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Dracula-Celosia.jpg?wsr\")
Dracula Celosia. Photo Credit: Imagepocket<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> - Latin name: <\/strong>Celosia argentea<\/em> var. cristata<\/em> \u2018Dracula\u2019<\/li>
- USDA Zones:<\/strong> 2 to 9 as an annual, 10 to 11 as a perennial<\/li>
- Growing conditions:<\/strong> Easy to grow, it prefers fertile, moist but well-drained soil. Thrives in full sun.<\/li>
- Mature size: <\/strong>16 inches tall and 12 inches wide<\/li>
- Blooming time: <\/strong>Summer<\/li> <\/ul>
- USDA Zones:<\/strong> 2 to 9 as an annual, 10 to 11 as a perennial<\/li>
- USDA Zones:<\/strong> 5 to 9<\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>8 to 10<\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>3 to 9<\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>4 to 9<\/li>
- Top 10 Native Plants for Your Pollinator Garden<\/a><\/li>
- USDA Zones:<\/strong> 3 to 9<\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>4 to 9<\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>9 to 11<\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>3 to 8 <\/li>
- USDA Zones:<\/strong> 4 to 8<\/li>
- USDA Zones: <\/strong>4 to 9<\/li>
- 12. Sorbet \u2018Black Delight\u2019 Viola<\/a><\/li>
- 6. \u2018Back in Black\u2019 Sedum<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Harry Lauder\u2019s Walking Stick<\/a><\/li>
- 1. \u2018Midnight Marvel\u2019 Hibiscus<\/a><\/li>