It always pays to investigate new and upcoming trends when embarking on a landscape garden design project, so you can source lots of new ideas and find inspiration in some previously unconsidered corners.
One particularly intriguing new direction for gardens that’s really starting to curry favour is a somewhat gothic aesthetic, characterised by dark planting, unusual architecture and features, winding paths throughout the space and surprising textures here and there… with the end result being something really rather beautiful and really rather mysterious.
The first step is to consider your colour palette. To get this look right, aim to bring in plants in a range of tones that include blacks, deep purples and crimsons, as well as darker foliage to make everything feel wonderfully brooding and romantic.
Good plant choices include smoke bush, heucheras, tulips and astilbe, all of which can be found in beautiful dark shades. But don’t be tempted to adopt a highly structured feel to the garden… allowing some of it to grow wild and free will help you achieve a more Gothic atmosphere – as well as being great for local biodiversity.
From there, you can start to think about other ways to bring your garden to life, and sourcing antique and vintage objets d’art is one of the best ways to get the Gothic look just right.
Arches and gates made using wrought iron would be perfect, or perhaps stone if you really want to make a statement. Weathered statues, black gravel cobblestones and slate would also work wonders outside.
And don’t forget about how best to go about lighting the space. Light up your pathways and patios using hanging lanterns, faux candles and solar lights with a Gothic design to really transform your gardens in an instant.