Many of us are garden-sowing people hoping for whatever comes up. After a while, you may start to lean toward a color scheme that you like (for example, I don’t buy pink or white flowers anymore; there are just too many of them). But for some of us, the appeal and uniqueness of a dark space resonates, and in those cases, a gothic garden is the perfect solution.

As an antidote to the stark whiteness of a moonlit garden, gothic gardens celebrate the growing number of black flowers and fruits grown. There are legions of flowers, both annual and perennial, that can bring darkness to your landscape. Combined with the greenery they grow on, the effect is rich, gothic, and enchanting. With a growing fan base, you can spend endless hours on Instagram admiring the lush landscapes of enthusiasts like Chloe Hurst and Kat Bauer.

It’s not just flowers anymore. While black peppers and tomatoes have become popular in recent years, this year saw the introduction of black pumpkins. Imagine them on their own on a trellis, or mixed with white pumpkins. Imagine them growing among black nasturtiums.

The key to a successful garden is always to consider a solid base of perennials, so that there is something that will come back year after year, and annuals, which provide a scene for the summer and then die back when winter comes. Also think about the height of what you are growing and how much space they need, whether they are evergreen, meaning they have leaves in the winter, or whether they are bare. You want taller items at the back or centre of a space that you can walk around, and then gradually reduce the size closer to the walkway – that way you can see everything. You don't have to focus on black either, you can embrace mahogany and deep purple to enhance the black. In any case, make sure you place your goth garden somewhere well lit, so that you can get light on the curves and shapes and see all the detail of the dark flowers.