13 Gorgeous Garden Design Ideas Featuring Burgundy Plants

Color is one of the most exciting parts of the garden arrangement and the first thing our eyes process when we take in a space. It’s also one of the most impactful tools for unifying the landscape.

Burgundy foliage provides a rich contrast in the garden bed and containers. Deep red shades stand out among leafy greens to punctuate the display. Bold and stately, merlot brings visual heft to the blended landscape, adding depth and layers.

Specimen Trees and Shrubs

One of the best ways to use maroon blooms and foliage in the landscape is as specimens, mirroring the color through repetition to lend asymmetrical balance.

This combination includes flowering perennials, textural grasses, and upright shrubs. Cotinus, or smoketree, is the focal point, with deep purple foliage among the bright green and lilac shades. Other unique wine-colored specimen shrubs to consider include weigela and sweetshrub.

Smoketree ‘Royal Purple’

	botanical name Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 15’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Smoketree is a waterwise, loosely arranged, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree. Delicate and hairy stems hold flower clusters that turn dusky pink and persist all summer for a hazy plumage. 

The foliage of ‘Royal Purple,’ a compact variety, is deep plum and maroon. The standout shrub holds its color throughout the growing season.

Weigela ‘Wine and Roses®’

	botanical name Weigela florida ‘Wine and Roses®’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4-5’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Weigela conjures old-fashioned gardens with flowering hedgerows. ‘Wine and Roses®’ features deep burgundy-green leaves and rose-pink blooms. This cultivar is darker than its predecessors, with shiny purple leaves all season. 

Flowers flush profusely in late spring and free flower throughout the summer. The trumpet blooms attract hummingbirds and other pollinators.

‘Wine and Roses®’ is the recipient of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Gold Medal Award. Weigela is generally disease-free and easy to grow in soils with medium moisture.

Perennial Border Accent

Deep purple-red draws the eye to the border. In this arrangement, it complements the rose blooms and repeated foliar tones. Coral bells, in numerous burgundy hues, are an ideal low-growing accent for borders and containers.

Heuchera ‘Ruby Tuesday’

	botanical name Heuchera ‘Ruby Tuesday’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Heuchera, or coral bells, are North American native perennials with striking foliage in unique shapes and colors. In addition to the bold foliage, sweet bloom sprays in pinks, corals, and reds rise in summer. 

Look for Ruby Tuesday,’ ‘Autumn Leaves,’ Wild Rose; ‘Palace Purple’ and ‘Berry Smoothie’ to give high contrast in deep red and purple shades.

Heuchera needs rich, organic, well-draining soils. It thrives in the morning sun or dappled light; its color may fade with too much direct sunlight.

Contrasting Textures

The rich, color-transitioning tones of panicle hydrangeas bring extended interest as they darken to dusky rose and wine. For a twist on native oakleaf hydrangeas, opt for a deep purple-red variety like ‘Ruby Slippers’ or ‘Applause.’

With blooms that persist into fall, pairing hydrangeas with ornamental grasses adds unique seasonal interest. Instead of pennisetums that may aggressively reseed, opt for native or non-spreading types like switchgrass, carex, and muhly with showy plumes.

Hydrangea ‘Quick Fire®’

	botanical name Hydrangea paniculata ‘Quick Fire®’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-8’
	hardiness zones 3-8

‘Quick Fire®’ has color-shifting blooms that emerge bright white and become pink in summer, aging to deep rose and red autumnal tones. 

The foliage turns gold and purple-red to highlight the end of the season before dropping. This color-twisting panicle hydrangea is one of the earliest varieties to bloom for a long season of color. 

‘Quick Fire®’ is cold hardy and low-maintenance. It blooms on new wood, and cold winters won’t impact developing buds.

Switchgrass ‘Cheyenne Sky’

	botanical name Panicum virgatum ‘Cheyenne Sky’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Switchgrass is a native North American prairie grass that grows across varying soil types, moisture levels, and light conditions. The ornamental blades form an upright vase with vertical interest. Clouds of plumes in the summer develop seedheads that last through winter. 

The blades of ‘Cheyenne Sky’ begin blue-green and transition to wine red in early summer, with plumes to match. Highly ornamental, it adds movement to the landscape and extends visual interest in its seedheads, a food source for birds. This variety is part of the Prairie Winds® series.

Switchgrass is rugged, preferring lean soils to overly rich ones. It grows in wet and dry soils and tolerates occasional flooding.

Cottage Garden

Cottage gardens exude charm through classic burgundy-flowering plants in loose arrangements and informal designs. They celebrate wild beauty through a curated plant palette. Here, dark tones punctuate the airy beds for a spray of bold color among pastels.

Dahlia ‘Spartacus’

	botanical name Dahlia ‘Spartacus’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4-5’
	hardiness zones 8-11

Dahlia ‘Spartacus’ makes a bold statement. Its deep, velvety red flowers reach eight to ten inches in diameter and atop strong stems. Ruffly flower petals curve slightly for a full, decorative bloom.

‘Spartacus’ is considered a dinnerplate dahlia due to its huge blooms. It dominates on towering stalks four to five feet tall. Gardeners prize ‘Spartacus’ for its robust growth, adaptability, and competition-worthy excellence as a cut flower.

Helenium ‘Mariachi™ Siesta’

	botanical name Helenium ‘Siesta’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Helenium is a North American native perennial with daisy-ray petals that fan around a fuzzy central disc. The species features bright yellow rays with a golden center.

‘Siesta,’ in the Mariachi™ series, is a dwarf variety with red petals around a deep scarlet center. ‘Ruby Tuesday,’ and ‘Helena Red Shades’ are other maroon shades.

Streaming Color Wildflowers

Garnet wildflowers abound and are often hummingbird beacons, from monarda to scarlet sage. Red lupine has striking spires of columnar blooms to contrast sunny yellow evening primrose – or nearly any other blooming selection.

Lupine ‘My Castle’

	botanical name Lupinus ‘My Castle’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-4’
	hardiness zones 4-7

Lupine enchants with lovely bell-shaped blooms in a rainbow of blues, purples, pinks, whites, yellows, and reds. These graceful wildflowers grow across various site conditions, including moisture fluctuations and less-than-ideal soils.

‘My Castle’ has tall, sturdy stems lined with blooms. In addition to the striking carmine flowers, palmate leaves form an attractive base. The Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit winner is part of the ‘Band of Nobles’ series, which also features ‘The Pages’ in brick red.

Ultimate Fall

Layering the landscape for a multiseason display is possible with a blend of deciduous trees anchored with evergreen specimens. Partner the composition with a foundation of late-blooming perennials and cool season annuals to mimic the autumnal tones.

Japanese maples are prime garden design plants for fall foliage, offering garnet shades from ‘Burgundy Lace’ to ‘Bloodgood.’

Japanese Maple ‘Bloodgood’

	botanical name Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum ‘Bloodgood’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 15-20’
	hardiness zones 5-8

‘Bloodgood’ is a hardy grower with higher sun and heat tolerance. The attractive purple-red palmate leaves turn scarlet in the fall, and even the bark stands out in reddish-black.

The trees have a delicate, open texture and slowly reach their mature height. Use them as a highlight in beds to add interest among green foliage, in Asian-inspired styles, along a reflective water feature, and in large containers. 

Dramatic Containers

Dark and moody containers bring drama to the potted display. Use the dark tones with white, silver, and chartreuse foliage for high contrast. Here, bright coleus brings in red shades.

Coleus ‘FlameThrower™ Serrano’

	botanical name Coleus scutellarioides ‘Serrano’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12-18″
	hardiness zones 10-11

Coleus is the perfect annual for dynamic foliage in merlot shades to embolden moody containers. With its “filler” habit, coleus is versatile in endless container planting combinations. ‘FlameThrower™ Serrano’ boasts serrate leaves with deep centers and lime margins.

Look to the Kong® series for huge leaves in full shade conditions and numerous others for a tapestry of color. The ColorBlaze® collection brings bright hues that withstand full sun, as do varieties like ‘Inferno’ and ‘Redhead.’

Other burgundy varieties include ‘FlameThrower™ Salsa Roja,’ ‘Black Dragon,’ ‘Kong® Scarlet,’ ‘Colorblaze® Dipt In Wine,’ ‘Burgundy Sun,’ and the list goes on for the kaleidoscopic annual. 

Sweet Potato Vine ‘Sweet Caroline Mahogany™’

	botanical name Ipomoea batatas ‘Sweet Caroline Mahogany™’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-16”
	hardiness zones 9-11

Ornamental sweet potato vine invites a shock of color in trailing form. Its lush, broad leaves are chartreuse or purple-black. The vine forms a mounded ground cover with runners cascading amongst potted arrangements.

Sweet potato vine in the ‘Sweetheart’ series overflows (literally) with maroon shades. Look for ‘Mahogany™,’ ‘Bewitched After Midnight,’ and ‘Red Hawk’ to add drama to containers. The tropical look and bold color contrast other plants.

Autumnal Blooms

Stonecrop rules the roost in royal foliage topped with purple-red blooms in the fall. These specimens, in the border or a pot, stand out in texture, form, and color. Burgundy varieties include ‘Midnight Velvet,’ ‘Purple Emperor,’ ‘Night Embers,’ and ‘After Dark.’ 

Pair the perennials with evergreens, ornamental grasses, and even roses for a striking combination. 

Stonecrop ‘Midnight Velvet’

	botanical name Sedum ‘Midnight Velvet’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Sedum, or stonecrop, is a heat-tolerant succulent that blooms in summer and early fall. Stonecrop offers multi-season appeal, whether a low ground cover or a tall, upright grower.

For a stunning display, look to the Rock ‘N Grow® series. ‘Midnight Velvet’ is a variety from this series that has a rounded habit with thick purple leaves. Buds appear in late summer in dusky rose, opening to red blooms. The flowers mature to dark red seedheads that persist into the cool season for lasting interest.

Fresh and dried flower heads make a beautiful autumnal floral arrangement but are also lovely left to dry on the stem (and the birds appreciate the late-season seed source).

Parade of Roses

Roses elevate red tones both in leaf and flower. Some have foliage that emerges bronzy red before maturing to glossy green. Dark blooms are the epitome of drama and romance, while vibrant rose hips appear at season’s end. Call on dark roses to contrast lighter ones or to form a rich backdrop that draws the eye.

‘Tuscany Superb’

	botanical name Rosa ‘Tuscany Superb’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4’
	hardiness zones 4-9

This old garden rose bears fragrant, semi-double magenta and violet flowers that open to reveal yellow stamens – a favorite for pollinators. ‘Tuscany Superb’ is a gallica rose introduced in 1837 and is likely a sport of ‘Tuscany,’ similar in color and form (but ‘Superb’ has more prominent blooms and is taller).

Gallica roses, the ancestors of many modern roses, feature vigorous growth, flowering, and exceptional fragrance. Hardy and disease-resistant. ‘Tuscany Superb’ received the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit for its vigor and garden performance.

‘Tuscany Superb’ grows upright with abundant foliage. The new growth is striking against the deep blooms and mature foliage. Leaves emerge a pale chartreuse with a purple-red blush.

Groundcover

Low-growing groundcovers create a carpet of burgundy for an eyecatching fall garden design. Here, the symmetrical and stylized arrangement gives a clean look to the approach. While these are annuals, you could achieve a similar look with coral bells, tiarella, epimediums, or carpet roses (like ‘Flower Carpet Red,’ with burnished red foliage).

Alternanthera ‘Little Ruby’

	botanical name Alternanthera dentata ‘Little Ruby’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”
	hardiness zones 9-11

Like coleus and sweet potato vine, alternanthera gives that tropical pop of foliar color amid exciting leaf textures and growth habits. Leaves are ruby red to deep purple and range from rounded to threadlike on dense forms.

‘Little Ruby’ is a compact grower with deep purple, burgundy, and green foliage. The tough annual is heat and humidity-tolerant. ‘Red Threads’ is a densely-packed, fine-leaved variety for a textural carpet in the annual bed.

Iresine

	botanical name Iresine herbstii
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-5’
	hardiness zones 10-12

Bloodleaf is a popular bedding plant for its bold red leaves with magenta mid-ribs and veins. A standout in a grouping or as potted accents, Iresine has glossy, notched foliage that intensifies in sunlight.

With Award of Garden Merit status, bloodleaf is easy to grow and is low maintenance. Trim or pinch stems to retain a tidy form. Bloodleaf performs best in rich, moist, well-draining soils. 

Cutting Garden Glow

Garnet blooms postively glow in the cutting bed and in fresh floral arrangements. Amaranth yields tall, leafy spikes of rich plumes that develop into showy seedheads. Dahlias complement the bunch. In addition to the giant ‘Spartacus’ in deep red, ‘Natal’ is a miniature ball variety in the darkest of maroons.

Amaranth ‘Burgundy’

	botanical name Amaranthus hypochondriacus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 5-8’
	hardiness zones 3-10

Amaranth’s striking foliage and tassel flowers rise on tall stems from late summer through frost. The draping blooms in burgundy, gold, coral, and magenta suspend from the arching stems.

The grains add spectacular color and texture to fresh and dried floral designs. ‘Burgundy’ stands tall with fluffy plumes. ‘Red Spike’ arches gracefully in deep red, perfect for fall. ‘Pygmy Torch’ is an heirloom that reaches only 18 inches tall with wine-colored plumage.

Spring Show

Redbud trees boast a vivid floral spray to welcome spring. Among the earliest to flower post-winter, the show begins with purple-pink blooms lining slender branches for an all-over outline of color. Dynamic heart-shaped foliage follows for lasting summer and fall interest. 

Cultivars like ‘Forest Pansy,’ ‘Carolina Sweetheart,’ ‘Merlot,’ and ‘Flamethrower’ create a stunning contrast to green-leaved neighbors. Paired here with snowball viburnum (Viburnum opulus), the spring display is decadent.

Redbud ‘Forest Pansy’

	botanical name Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 20-30’
	hardiness zones 4-9

‘Forest Pansy’ is a favorite cultivar from Forest Nursery in McMinnville, Tennessee, in 1947. New growth is shimmery burgundy-purple and transitions to gray-green on upper surfaces as temperatures warm.

The blooms match the rich purple shades in rosy lilac and resemble little pansies. The RHS Award of Garden Merit for its ornamental value and landscape performance.

Spring Flowering Bulbs

Mahogany tulips provide supreme contrast to the pastel shades of mellow orange and rosy pink, its opposites on the color wheel. The dark tones add depth and layers as they recede among the brighter shades.

Tulip ‘Queen of Night’

	botanical name Tulipa ‘Queen of Night’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 24-30”
	hardiness zones 3-8

‘Queen of Night’ is a late-blooming tulip with purple-red, nearly black petals. It is a striking contrast with neutral qualities that allow it to go with any other colors. 

Pair it with ‘Merlot’ in wine hues against pale pinks, yellows, whites, and apricots, both in tulips and other spring-flowering bulbs like daffodils and hyacinths.

Tulips are short-lived and bloom for a few years before fading. Because their vigor is best the first year, many gardeners grow tulips as annuals or short-lived perennials.