Berries are great for adding contrasting texture and shape to floral arrangements. Black berries are particularly sophisticated. Here are a few varieties of to look out for.
Several viburnum varieties have black berries. V. tinus ‘Eve Price’ is an excellent evergreen shrub with clusters of white flowers that then turn into eye-catching shiny black berries.
Hypericum (well known as St John’s wort) are easy-to-grow shrubs with fabulous berries in a lovely range of pinks and reds and are ideal for flower arranging. The more unusual variety H. ‘Magical Black’ has large black berries that look fabulous teamed with brighter berries - they can also be dried to use throughout the winter.
Myrtus Communis is a lovely, compact, sun-loving evergreen shrub with masses of white flowers in late summer/autumn, followed by large oval purple – black berries covering the stems. You could either bunch a few stems together in a vase or intersperse with paler foliage such as silvery grey eucalyptus for a lush display. Or team them with bright red or orange berries or dogwood stems.
When privet is left to flower, the shrub will then be covered in masses of small, shiny dark purple or black berries. These look stunning as dark accents amongst white flowers or pale variegated or silver foliage.