Garden

[Katcat1]

Today I went for a haircut. I noticed at one of the outdoor restaurants a basket over the railing with red geraniums, different vines and black petunias.  I call them black because I am not sure what color they are because they are so dark. Could be a black maroon combo.  Has any one else seen them?   They are beautiful when mixed with other color flowers.  Tomorrow or Thursday I am going to a nursery to see if they have any.

[Scooby Doo]

Yes, they are sold around here.  I bought some once, but they need to be mixed in with light colored flowers.  I didn't like them alone in the dark dirt because they are hard to see.  They would be pretty mixed with pink double petunias.

[gardenman]

I hadn't seen them, but a quick Google shows that Ball Seed developed them around 2010. They're really a very, very dark purple rather than a true black. I would think they'd look more like a hole in a planting than stand out and show off. I guess they haven't caught on locally as I haven't seen any for sale. I won't be growing them. 

[Sweetbay magnolia]

They can be really dramatic in planters, with the right "foil".

Really showy with certain coleus, chartreuse sweet potato vine, etc - up against a light wall or something.

They can appear drab and dull and recede.  I feel the same way about "black" pansies.  They're sold in a "Halloween" mix with orange ones, and though I'm always drawn to it, I stop because come the winter holidays, when they're likely still blooming, they seem out of place.

[AuntG]

Yes at a garden center and they are nearly black. I fell in love with some called Espresso: they were light brown with a darker brown center.

[gumboluver]

2 winters ago I was able to get some black violas--but havent seen any more since then