In most gardens, order reigns and colour blooms. But Chloe Hurst’s Goth Garden doesn’t play by those rules. Nestled in Carleton Place, Ontario, her cold-climate sanctuary is less a backyard and more a living altar – where black petals, twisted vines, and ritual take root in the soil. With an abundance of gothic plant varieties thriving, Chloe has not just grown a garden but transformed horticulture into a deeply ritualistic practice – where every black petal and twisted vine tells a story.
Her garden is not just grown, it’s conjured. We spoke with Chloe about the origins of her hauntingly beautiful practice, the challenges of cultivating, and the music, mood, and magic that shape her daily rites.
Let’s talk about your gardening journey. What was it that first drew you to plants, and how did your gothic aesthetic evolve alongside it?
I have been gardening since the moment I could walk! My mom is an avid gardener, and I always enjoyed watching her curate new spaces within our backyard. When she saw that interest in me, she got me right down in the dirt with her. And I loved every bit of it! As I got older and started to form my own identity, I fell into the Goth community. I had an obsession with the music, architecture, ghost stories and the absolutely macabre nature of Victorian practices and gardening – all things that became a huge part of my identity today. Despite everything I owned needing to be black, my mom’s colourful garden was the only exception where I could find happiness and calm. Though stunning, my black heart desired something darker; I just didn’t know it was out there.
Was there a moment when you realised your garden could be more than just a hobby because it all seems deeply expressive and incredibly personal?
You’re correct, gardening is so much more than a hobby! Ask any gardener why they love gardening, and you’ll discover that it’s almost like a therapy session. For myself, my garden is a space where I can completely forget about the world and the stresses of life; quite literally, grounding myself. Even in total moments of weakness, I retreat into my garden, have a good ol’ crying sesh, and come back inside late at night covered in dirt (and sometimes blood – those damn rose bushes) feeling 1000 times lighter. Gardening is also a space where there is so much creative freedom! It almost becomes an art project when it comes to selecting different plants of varying heights, colours and spread – resulting in a canvas of beauty and love.
Can you take us back to the origins of what inspired you to create The Goth Garden, and how the unique idea evolved from concept to reality?
I actually had no idea dark plants existed until we bought our home in 2018! We had a perfect blank space in the backyard, and I knew the overall vibe I wanted to create was moody and mysterious with a Victorian-esque feel. A space that was filled with statues, urns, poisons and intricate-looking plants. It wasn’t until one day that summer when I received a text message from my friend Elizabeth, who owns a nursery in Carleton Place named ‘Ramsay Creek’, sent me photos of some fabulous Black Mamba Petunias.
In that exact moment, I spiralled. “Dark plants actually exist? There’s no way, my dreams are coming true!” I quickly drove over there, and next thing you know, my trunk was filled with $300 worth of dark plants, quickly resulting in the self-branded name of ‘The Goth Garden’. From there, my hunt continues, and my collection is forever growing.
How has your location in Carleton Place shaped the garden’s design, dark florals and plant choices?
The best thing about Carleton Place is our spectacular garden centres and nurseries, without them, The Goth Garden wouldn’t be where it is today! There are also plenty of avid gardeners in town, nearly every home accompanied by a garden curated to their liking. I am part of the horticultural society here as well, and there is never a shortage of garden design inspiration.
You have cultivated over 80 gothic plant varieties in a cold climate, so what are some of the challenges and triumphs of growing moody flora in Ontario?
Our hardiness zone is 5A, which entails extremely harsh and long winters, and very hot and intense summers that last about 3-4 months. Though our gardening season is short, it is the perfect zone to be in when it comes to plant selection because we’re right in the middle of the hardiness scale. The only downside here is that the gardening season is not nearly long enough to enjoy the fruits of your labour!
What defines a ‘goth garden’ to you? Is it about colour, mood, symbolism or something more profound? How do you curate the atmosphere to feel both dramatic and nurturing?
Goth gardening doesn’t always have to be filled with dark plants and flowers to be considered a Goth Garden. For me, it’s about creating an atmosphere that feels mysterious and grand; layering and pairing plants with items like urns or statues or thoughtfully adding solar lights or unique thrift finds to create a sense of dark beauty. The more you add, the more it can feel very haunting and beautiful.
You’ve often described gardening as a ritual – what does that look like for you on a daily or seasonal basis?
Because I’m secretly a vampire, I tend to do most of my gardening in the late evening or night! It’s far more enjoyable when the sun isn’t beating down on you and you can focus on the task at hand. I spend a good amount of time watering the gardens in the front and back, while also inspecting any new growth or pests that need handling. I also spend this time going around to plants that need deadheading to promote new growth, or trimming back any stems that aren’t doing too well because of the heat. I’d say at least once a month, I do a good weeding of everything too!
Do you have a favourite source for unusual or rare gothic plants – any nurseries, online shops, or creators that you’d recommend?
For the most part, all of my plants are from my local garden centres and nurseries! Huge shout out to Ramsay Creek, Whitehouse Perennials, Acanthus Floral, Carleton Place Nursery, Reid’s and Gemmell’s Garden Centre for having the coolest plants to add to my garden. When I’m not shopping at my local and privately owned shops, I also frequent The Home Depot, Rona and Canadian Tire for some Goth Garden finds as well. When it comes to online vendors, I shop from Westcoast Seeds, Breck’s and Veseys, who all ship within Canada. For new Goth gardeners, I strongly recommend avoiding places like Etsy or Amazon, as many sellers sell plants that either don’t exist or give you seeds that aren’t as advertised.
For anyone outside of Canada and my area, always shop local! Not only does it support your local businesses, but it also tells you what you can and can’t grow successfully in your zone.
If you love my page, you will also love these other creators on Instagram!
Sounds Of Stars – https://www.instagram.com/soundsofstars
The Black Moon Garden – https://www.instagram.com/theblackmoongarden
LivinginViridian – https://www.instagram.com/livinginviridian
The Dark and Poison Garden – https://www.instagram.com/thedarkandpoisongarden/
Rusty Exotics – https://www.instagram.com/rustyexotics
The Black Metal Garden – https://www.instagram.com/theblackmetalgarden
You’ve built a substantial online following through this incredible project – how has the community around Goth gardening shaped your practice?
Honestly, not much has changed when it comes to my own practices! I love sharing my hobby with others and enjoy seeing others create their own versions of it. I’ve met so many incredible people because of my page, and it brings me so much joy to see others find a hobby that speaks to them. If anything, my shopping addiction has only grown through this experience, as more and more plants are introduced to me, ha! I am running out of space in the front and back yard now.
Do you enjoy gardening with music? If so, what sounds accompany you?
For me, it’s 50/50! It totally depends on my mood. If I’m doing my regular maintenance and watering, I’ll normally have some music in the background. Still, if I’m feeling extra anxious or overstimulated by the mosquitoes biting at my ankles, I’ll work in silence. I most commonly listen to my own curated Goth playlist or some witchy vibes on Spotify.
Your garden is so visually cohesive. Are there any brands or makers that you turn to for gothic-inspired pots, planters, or garden accessories?
I absolutely love this question, because it’s proof that you can deck out a garden for an amazing price. Most of my garden decor is thrifted or bought from yard sales, and I rarely pay anything over $20! One of my favourite pieces is my garden chandelier that I repurposed from our house, which had some faulty wiring, so I decided to hang it on a garden hook to sparkle amongst my plants. I also bought this angel statue for $20 off a gardening friend! Cursed by Design also has amazing tombstone plant markers that come in a range of sizes, with the option to customise fully.
Similarly, have you customised any of your gear to match your aesthetic -black gloves, engraved trowels, wrought iron accents?
When it comes to gardening tools, whatever gets the job done! I go through about 2-3 pairs of gloves a season because of how much I use them, so I try to get as many as possible from the dollar store. However, I do have some branded indoor items that I take with me when I do presentations at horticultural meetings, including an old frame from an antique store and my branding. But perhaps my dollar store habit will change! One day in the near future, there will be some branded TGG merchandise!
What’s the most critical advice you would give to Crypt readers wanting to start their Goth Garden journey?
Enjoy the process! It is very easy to feel frustrated that your collection isn’t growing quick enough. Finding dark plants is something that definitely takes time, as there isn’t a one-stop shop for your dark beauties. But it’s the hunt that makes this hobby enjoyable! You can also feel a higher sense of accomplishment by incorporating your favourite pieces of gothic decor with your plants to create a stunning vignette worth sharing.
And finally – what seeds are you planting next? Where is The Goth Garden growing from here?
Well, there is a beautiful Victorian house we are currently looking at if we sell our bungalow home. If we end up buying it, there will be a huge garden expansion, so stay tuned!
If it falls through, our next few projects in our current house will be mainly boring stuff like maintenance, creating a new walkway, and perhaps gothifying the outside of our shed!
https://www.instagram.com/theg0thgarden
