Hi Everyone, One aspect of how I carry my love for halloween throughout the year is with my gardening. My own garden is a Gothic/Halloween theme garden. The gothic garden is a very Halloween thing As its name implies, it lends itself to the macabre. Night flowering plants, and dark coloured flowers and shrubs are part of the theme. For instance, some of the many in my garden include; Japanese Barberry, Royal Purple Smoke bush, Dark burgundy Dole Licorice Heucheras, Queen of the Night Tulip, Black Parrot Tulip, Black Hollyhocks which are just stunning, voodoo and dragonsblood sedum, black midnight pansys and dark purple crocuses are just a few living in my creepy garden. Furthermore, some of the night flowering plants are: Evening Primrose, moonflowers, NIght Phlox "Midnight Candy", Four o' clocks, Vesper Iris, Night Gladiolus, and of course the beautiful "Bat Pant, "Latin name is, Tacca Chantrieri"
But I find the mainstay for any halloween/gothic garden are the accessories. You can pretty much transform any existing garden to a Gothic/Halloween by just adding some somber orniments. For example, here are some of the many included in my own garden; Gargoyles, Tombstones, Black cats, Fairies, Somber Angels, artifical bats, Green Man, Trolls, Moondials, Lionhead water fountain, and of course a good luck witch or two to further the ambeince use old looking urns for planters, and plastic or iron fence planels to lend that spooky cemetery feeling.
A must have for any true Halloween/Gothic garden is night roaming creatures. But remember the main trick to keeping these beauties requires planting the flora for their survival. for my own garden, the first creature that came to mind was the Bat. To draw their attention to your garden, there are 2 basic needs. 1) Provide a roosting area "bat house" and2) grow plants that attract night flying insects. You can easily build your own, their are plans on the internet, or by them at garden centers or on-line. Remember, it may take time to attract bats to your garden so don't get discouraged. Oh, some of the plants I grow to attract the insects they eat are: Phlox, Cornflower, and spearmint. Other oh so cool creatures to include in your spooky garden include; The Praying Mantis, Toads, Dragonflies, Spiders, Snakes and Ladybugs.
And finally, don't forget to personalize your garden. My own garden and surrounding porch is done in all black, such as; black fence, black planters and stands, even the watering can. And on our front porch bench I painted "Welcome To Our Cave"
Well, I really look forward to hearing how others have done their garden, what dark & spooky themes they do theirs in and any other wonderful ideas we can create.
^v^ Happy Gardening ^v^
- Dutchess of Darkness
- Halloween Master
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- Dutchess of Darkness
- Halloween Master
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- Slightlymad
- Master Reaper
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- geekmidwinter
- Haunt Master
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That sounds magnificent! I wish I had the time and talent to make a beautiful garden! I have a million excuses not to, I can't even make myself plant impatiens on my front walk. I've had the seeds for a week!
Do you have any pictures? I'd love to see it!
Do you have any pictures? I'd love to see it!
I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's. His hair was perfect.
- Dutchess of Darkness
- Halloween Master
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Thanks geekmidwinter & Hooch, There's not much to take pictures of yet as even the bulbs are just beginning to come through the soil, and nothing else has really started growing yet, but it won't take long now. I only have a few winter item such as the winter heather and the letin rose. So once the garden has bloomed a lot more I will take pictures with my digital and then I'll have to find someone help show me how to post them here, I'm not well inclined at posting pictures at all, they just remain on our camera until hubby transfers them onto a computer file for me, and even he doesn't knwo how I go about posting to here, and since he's leaving here soon and won't be back home until September I'll have to find someone else to help me. But as soon as I can I will. I classify myself as a newbe when it comes to gardening, and I will admit I have found it a lot of work so far as I'm still planting, and planning out where to put more stuff, but as you get more done I'm finding it's becoming easier. If you want to try some easy care & hardy plants, the winter & summer Heather is one idea. I found Hollyhocks easy and very rewarding as well, and Hollyhocks come in many colours, I run the Black hollyhock and a new strain called a cream de cacus, its a deep pink with deep purple centre. Oh and bulbs see to be pretty easy so far.
- Dutchess of Darkness
- Halloween Master
- Posts: 1708
- Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:56 pm
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- Location: Chilliwack British Columbia Canada