Douglass Oster, Post-Gazette This black strain of hollyhock (Alcea annua) was grown in a Ross garden. Click photo for larger image.

Can someone who bleeds Black and Gold have a green thumb? Certainly, although his or her favorite seasons don't happen to overlap.

If your devotion to the Steelers continues into the spring, here are some suggestions for planting a theme garden in Pittsburgh sports fans' favorite colors. Most of the plants are available at area nurseries or through mail-order catalogs. A few may have to be grown from seed.

On the gold side, there are some familiar marigolds that come in a multitude of shades from almost white to orange. The taller African marigolds (Tagetes erecta) grow 12-15 inches high, and some that come close to the right color for a Steelers Garden are 'Inca II Gold' and 'Inca II Orange,' as well as 'Antigua Gold' and 'Galore Yellow.' The blooms are close to 5 inches across. Choices in the French strain (Tagetes patula), include the compact 'Aurora Gold,' 'Tangerine Gem' and 'Marvelous Yellow.'

Calendulas also tend toward yellow and are similar in size to French marigolds. The flowers on these long-blooming plants are edible and can be added to salads in the summer. Try Calendula officinalis 'Classic' or 'Orange Zinger' to get that darker yellow color.

If you like vines and have a tree or fence for them to climb over, then the black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata) can be used to give height to the garden. Although the species is a light yellow, some of the new varieties like 'Spanish Eyes' are closer to gold.

The original black-eyed Susan flower (Rudbeckia hirta), from which the vine gets its common name, also comes in a variety of yellows and oranges, and some have both gold and black on the same plant. Rudbeckias are perennial and reach a height of about 24-30 inches. 'Maya' is a dense, mid-yellow flower while 'Prairie Sun' is a more open daisy flower in mid-yellow with a yellow eye. 'Maya' grows to 20 inches and 'Prairie Sun' will reach almost 3 feet, so plant it near the back of a border bed or the center of an island bed.

Most of the Rudbeckias have dark centers and yellow petals -- a Steelers garden all by themselves. Try 'Marmalade,' 'Indian Summer' or the especially stunning 'Sonora,' which has black on its eye and on its golden petals, giving a truly bi-colored bloom.

Finally on the gold side is the sunflower (Helianthus). In the past few years, many different color combinations have been brought onto the market. Reaching heights of more than 4 feet, sunflowers that have the classic yellow petals and dark centers are 'Del Sol,' 'Soraya,' 'Dorado' and 'Paul Bunyan,' which can reach 6 feet. Darker petals can be found on 'Chianti,' 'Moulin Rouge' and 'Claret.'

Black foliage or black flowers are far less common in the plant world, though black pansies and dark grasses can be found at some nurseries. For pansies, try 'Molly Sanderson' or 'Black Devil.' For grasses, try 'Majesty' millet (Pennisetum glaucum) or 'Nigrescens' black Mongo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus). Pansies, of course, will not thrive through the summer, but the grasses will. Your black pansies may come back in the fall (in time for football season).

Other dark or black flowers include the black strain of hollyhock (Alcea annua). 'Jet Black' and 'Nigra' are both suitable for the country garden look or against a fence or the house.

Alternathera dentata, 'Purple Knight,' is an ideal edging plant, staying under 2 feet. The almost luminous leaves of this purple plant make it a stunning addition to any garden.

Some of the basils are also dark purple and can look black. Growing to about 2 feet, Ocimun basilicum 'Purple Ruffles' and 'Dark Opal' have dark foliage and pink flowers, if you let them go to flower. Basil, of course, can be used in salads and for edible table decorations. Use the flowers in salads, too, or as an accent on the side of the plate.

Another relative newcomer to the marketplace is the sweet potato vine 'Blackie.' This black flowering vine will grow 6 feet over the summer, either up a fence or trellis or down from a hanging basket.

Finally, look for darker varieties of coral bells (Heauchera obsidian) and coleus such as 'Midnight Eclipse.'

Whether you make a whole garden black and gold or sprinkle just a few of these plants throughout, you can preserve the memory of a great Steelers season -- or look forward to next year.