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From the Archives
Review: Black Plants – 75 Striking Choices for the Garden
Black Plants: 75 Striking Choices for the Garden
By Paul Bonine
Timber Press, 2010
ISBN 978-0-88192-981-2
As I mentioned in my review of The Gardener’s Color Palette, I am starting to appreciate some of the less-common colors in the garden. Bronzes, greens (as in flowers) and blacks are all colors that I find myself noticing and admiring more often.
So I was interested to see what Paul Bonine’s book had in store for me, and was happy to find an attractive, well-organized book that is full of inspiration for anyone who is interested in integrating some “black” (most often really dark purple) plants into their landscape.
The bulk of Black Plants consists of 75 profiles of black plants, complete with relevant growing information, possible plant combinations, and (most importantly) beautiful photos. Again, this is the type of book that is dangerous for the collectors among us, because it makes it very easy to go through the book, marking pages, muttering “yes, I want that one, and that one, and oh, yes— definitely that one!” I personally found myself coveting the ‘Clementine Dark Purple’ columbine, large wild ginger, ‘Chocolate’ delphinium, and ‘Penny Black’ nemophilia. I currently grow black hollyhocks (thanks, Kim!) and I did have a black pussywillow, which was gorgeous, but died after I moved it and did a shoddy job of keeping it watered.
I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking at adding a little drama, or a little “something different” to your garden.
ITGO Rating: 4 out of 5 trowels
About the Author:
Paul Bonine is co-owner of the wholesale nursery Xera Plants Inc. and has worked in the nursery industry in Oregon for almost two decades. In addition to consulting for NPR, various newspapers, radio, and television, Paul has written for several national gardening publications. Black Plants is his first book.
Disclaimer: I was provided with an advanced review copy of this book by the publisher with the understanding that the decision to review the book, and the contents of that review, were solely my own. This review encompasses my own opinion of the book, and has been influenced in no way by the publisher or the fact that they provided a copy for review.
3 comments
3 comments to “Review: Black Plants – 75 Striking Choices for the Garden”
MrBrownThumb, February 5th, 2010 at 12:37 am:
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I had forgotten about this book. That bloom on the cover it amazing.
Colleen Vanderlinden, February 5th, 2010 at 5:47 am:
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Hmm. I’m trying to decide if you’re being snarky or not, given all of the drama a while back about this book
Dave, February 5th, 2010 at 9:28 am:
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It sounds interesting. I like unique foliage generally more than flowers but I’m not sure I’m really ready for much black. Of course it might allow for some unique combinations.