You may get some ideas from "Color in the Garden". Many combinations are given with these colors in mind.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Creative Gardener

This link has some ideas that might work for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gothic Gardening: Theme Gardens

Hollyhock 'The Watchman', Black peony poppy (my absolute favorite), mahogony salpiglossis, Iris chrysographes, and there are pansies and violas that are about as black as you can get. Some of the sun flowers are coming out in some pretty sultry shades. There is also a black tulip. None of these flowers are truely black but a dense shade of burgundy or purple.

Don't forget leaves if you want a truly sultry look. Cimifuga racemosa 'Brunett' has very dark leaves and so does Anthriscus 'Raven's Wing'.

I like black Mondo Grass.

Here's a magazine article I found useful re dark plants...jo

Here is a link that might be useful: Dark Plants

I like the ipomoea (ipomea? I can never spell it!) variety that's called "blackie". It looks great spilling out of a big pot - the color is really very dark purple of course, and not true black, but it's pretty close! Easy to grow and very easy to propagate - eye-catching and different.

Try black Iris, Columbines and hardy Geranium phaeum.

My favorites are
Black TB Irises
Black Daylilies
Black Columbines

Black aeonium (succulent)is my favorite black plant.

I have a white Delphinium that has black bees. Basically the center of each flower is black.

I have some very dark maroon sweet peas that are almost black. It reminds me of an incident that my significant other and I shared. I went on a quest for dark plants as well, especially the sweet peas; there were several I grew and they just weren't dark enough. Finally I got some I thought would do, but I overplanted in the fear that they would not germinate or would not be effective enough. The following summer I had an (unplanned)all-black garden; he thought it was the most gloomy sight he had ever seen and constantly refers to those peas as the "morbid garden" flowers! I agree that they would have been more effective had one or two been used as a counterpoint for more colourful flowers. But, to each his own!

I was under the impression that "nature doesn't like true black". (my sister, a painter, told me that).

I had a friend who talked about having only black flowers in her yard, so as a present, I got her some dark dark purple pansies---the closest to black I could find---but not black enough, apparently. She was a little disappointed because they weren't black enough. So I basically said "good luck finding any flowers / plants that are actually black".

She really did appreciate the sentiment behind my gift, and I thought her reaction was pretty funny.

I thought I would like black flowers but when I saw them in person I thought they were.... boring. Plus there is the problem of the flowers blooming at different times (and limited varieties) so the overall effect might be disappointing. However, there are truly black pansies that I want to grow. But that is the only "true black" flower I can think of. Most are dark purple or dark red.

I would love to see pictures of any ones black garden. I might change my mind and love it.
Tina

I found some "black" coleus this summer. "Black Ruffles" and "Stained Glass". Very nice plants. I'm going to take a few cuttings and overwinter them indoors.

If I had really been bitten by the black flower bug, I wouldnt be without a big pot of Asarum maximum 'Green Panda'. I haven't acquired it (yet), but I've often admired it. I don't think I would risk trying to grow it outside here, and for you, that would certainly be a no-no.

So many dark flowers, quite a few black ones too, so don't doubt the color
see this link for 2400 black plants
http://www.karenplatt.co.uk

i have several black plants that grow well here, watchman hollyhock would be my favorite, there are some nice black bearded iris, not really really black, but i still like them. As far as famous black gardens, i really don't know of any..