Page 25 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 5 June 2024

NATURE

leaf of Stachys byzantine or lamb’s • Last but not least is what expert
ear. gardeners call well-composted soil -
black gold. Compost is very
• Ipomoea batatas, or sweet potato, valuable for increasing
is of the ornamental sweet potato the fertility of the soil as
family. They have beautifully shaped it adds rich microbial
leaves and can be stunningly paired life and turns sterile
with the lime green or pinkish soil into rich, black
Batflower version of the same plant. They look soil that plants really
stunning when trailing or tumbling respond to. Note:
over objects and grow well in a dry good soil = good roots =
shady spot. good plant.
• Heuchera, or coral bells, have Tip: Black Violas, although out of season, are edible flowers that
deep red and purple options. Their add a dramatic contrast to salads and dishes.
attractive large leaves add ‘oomph’
to the surroundings. Their flowers are Good to know: Lime green, orange, pale pink and blue have the
delicate and colourful and they do greatest contrast.
well in a dry shady spot.
• The Black Madonna rose grows to
shoulder height and the blooms
make ideal cut-flowers.
• Black Magic roses also grow to
shoulder height. They are good cut-
flowers and are free flowering.
• The Black Berry rose grows to
shoulder height and can produce
fifty or more medium-sized roses at a
time. It is good as a cut flower and is
free flowering.
• Alternanthera ‘Little Ruby’ has deep
burgundy foliage making it a real
stand-out plant in the garden.
• Lagerstroemia indica, known also as
Black Diamond, Purely Purple, Pride
of India, or even Crape Myrtle, has
black leaves that contrast beautifully
with its vibrant purple blooms. They
will grow three to six metres high and
love well-drained soil.
Black bamboo
• Brinjal, aubergine or eggplant, are
easy to grow and a very rewarding
“Old World” plant. They come in a
range of black varieties including
Black Beauty, Napoli, Long Purple,
Oriental Fingerlings, Florence Violet
and several others.

• Phyllostachys nigra, or black
bamboo, has graceful weeping
foliage and striking black stems.
They are a firm favourite when you
want to create an oriental feel.
Eggplant Heuchera
• Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop’, or
Black Rose Aeonium, is one of the
most striking plants to include. This
very unusual water-wise succulent
has a rose shape on top of long
stems.
• Rock Rose (Echeveria) have a few
dark-coloured varieties, with the
most common one deliciously
named Chocolate. These water-wise
succulents are amazing in rock
gardens or tumbling over walls or the
edges of pots and hanging baskets.
Iris Black Petunia

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