If you have the space in your garden this is one plant to choose. Acanthus are robust perennials with handsome, lobed foliage. In late summer, tall racemes of white flowers with dusky purple bracts appear. Used as a motive in architecture and art through ages, Acanthus is a true architectural beauty!

Hollyhocks are a mysterious and prolific flower with a long and rich history. Traditionally associated with cottage-style borders, the dramatic, near-black flowers of Nigra work equally well in a contemporary, minimalist garden. This unique variety creates an impressive impact against most backgrounds.

Eye-catching, purple-black flowers with contrasting white centres appear in late spring and early summer above fern-like, mid-green leaves this variety is something special. 'William Guinness' is a superb and reliable Aquilegia variety that makes an ideal cut flower, it grows and blooms well in shady areas.

“Blackbird“ is an exquisitely beautiful variety. Perhaps the darkest flowered of all Dieramas, from June to August it produces cascades of gorgeous, deep claret-mauve blooms. Each bud expands into a pendant flower so graceful that even on the calmest of days providing continual movement in the garden.

An aristocrat from Spain with densely packed spikes of cylindrical small chocolate funnels above dark green coloured glossy leaves. The rich foliage has a sheen that sets these dramatic flower spikes off wonderfully. A plant that will stop viewers in their tracks and have them enquiring its identity.

Geranium phaeum ‘Samobor’ has considerable charm, with luxurious, deep maroon-black flowers which are held high on upright slender stems in late spring to early summer. This beautiful and useful hardy geranium is loved for its amazing deeply scalloped foliage with beautiful dark markings

Originating from one of the country's top hellebore breeders. Hellebore 'Black Beauty' is a choice variety. The deepest plums and purples open from slate coloured buds, many plants having the extra bonus of the dark foliage of their parents.

The Japanese started selecting morning glories in the 9th century, and this is one of their most stunning. This show-stopper morning glory sports huge blooms with a pronounced milk chocolate colour. The extraordinary blooms can be 15cm wide and in a good summer it will reach 9ft tall. Gorgeous.

Nemophila Pennie Black is a superb, easy to grow annual with masses of sumptuous deep purple to black, silver edged blooms produced on low ground hugging plants. Slightly trailing they are lovely in containers or used as an edging in bedding and borders.

Tacca chantrieri was the first of the species to make a splash in the horticultural world. The cluster of luridly coloured flowers are the deepest maroon, almost black. They are also known as “Cats Whiskers” after the long bracts that emanate from the flower scape.

This small undemanding perennial resembles bedding violas with delicate velvety purple-black flowers with a yellow eye. Lovely for growing in groups of three or five among other small plants towards the front of a border and beautiful as a carpet below roses or mixed shrubs.