Purple flowers are an excellent addition to any planting design. With a range of hues running from calming lilacs and lavenders<\/a> to exciting magentas, no border would be complete without a couple of purple flowers.<\/p>\n You might also be interested in:<\/p>\n The meadow clary is one of two salvia species native to the British Isles, with blue flowers. In recent years, seed companies have offered a range of colour forms from white and pink to blue and purple. Salvia pratensis<\/em> \u2018Indigo\u2019 was raised by Thomas Carlile at Loddon Nurseries in Twyford, Berkshire. It has a rosette of foliage and rather lax flower stems with a form resembling an upside-down pyramid so its top is wider than its base. The violet-blue, flower spikes are large for this species and very attractive to bees<\/a>. This cultivar is raised by cuttings. AGM.<\/p>\n Height<\/strong> 90cm Origin<\/strong> Europe Growing conditions<\/strong> Well-drained soil; sun Hardiness<\/strong> RHS H7, USDA 7a-11 Season of interest<\/strong> Summer<\/p>\n Recommended by plantswoman and ecologist Marina Christopher.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s more on our favourite salvias<\/a><\/p>\n In the late 1990s, Dutch nurseryman Brian Kabbes discovered a seedling of the hardy, mound-forming Geranium<\/em> \u2018Brookside\u2019 (a hybrid between G. clarkei<\/em> \u2018Kashmir Purple\u2019 and G. pratense<\/em>) that had darker blue and much larger flowers than its parent. Electric purple veins guide insects to the central white disc, which must produce copious nectar as bees are drawn to the blooms in their droves, despite the plant being sterile. It does not produce seed so has an extended flowering season. AGM.<\/p>\n Height<\/strong> 60-75cm. Origin<\/strong> Hybrid raised in the Netherlands. Growing conditions<\/strong> Reasonable soil in sun or dappled shade. Hardiness<\/strong> RHS H7, USDA 5a-9b. Season of interest<\/strong> Late spring to autumn.<\/p>\n Recommended by plantswoman and ecologist Marina Christopher.<\/p>\n Looking for more hardy geraniums?<\/a><\/p>\n In the mid-1990s there was renewed interest in the genus Baptisia<\/em>, a member of the pea family, which produces multiple stems with terminal flower spikes in white<\/a>, yellow, pink, blue and indigo. Most familiar in British gardens is Baptisia australis<\/em>, a blue-flowered species with upright stems. Baptisia<\/em> species are promiscuous and the late Rob Gardner of the North Carolina Botanical Garden introduced Baptisia<\/em> \u2018Purple Smoke\u2019 in 1996, a hybrid between B. australis<\/em> var. aberrans<\/em> and B. albescens<\/em> with dark stems and purplish-blue flowers.<\/p>\n Height<\/strong> 1.2m. Origin<\/strong> Eastern North America. Growing conditions<\/strong> Well-drained soil in full sun. Hardiness<\/strong> RHS H7, USDA 3a-9b. Season of interest<\/strong> spring to summer.<\/p>\n Recommended by plantswoman and ecologist Marina Christopher.<\/p>\n For me, this is the choicest blue flax I have grown. It is not often seen in the trade and inferior plants, possibly Linum perenne<\/em>, are often sold under its name. It is distinct in holding clusters of upright flower buds, whereas other species have pendent buds. It also has a rather unruly habit, in that its many branches are held at 45-degree angles to the stem giving it a very angular appearance. In sun the large, azure-blue flowers unfurl with darker blue guidelines to lead insects into the funnel-shaped bloom to its clear white eye.<\/p>\n Height<\/strong> 45-60cm. Origin<\/strong> Western and central Mediterranean, northern Spain, northeast Portugal. Growing conditions<\/strong> Well-drained soil; sun. Hardiness<\/strong> RHS H7, USDA 5a-9b. Season of interest<\/strong> late spring to summer.<\/p>\n Recommended by plantswoman and ecologist Marina Christopher.<\/p>\n This conservatory plant does particularly well if given an airing during the warmer months. In our Exotic Garden it yields a continuous display of papal-purple blooms, from velvety buds, arranged in loose panicles. Prune to keep compact and manageable and regenerate new plants from semi-ripe cuttings every three to four years. Cuttings can be taken at any time of year, though summer is best. Bring back indoors before the first frost and pot on into a good loam-based compost. A good cut flower, but beware, the fallen petals can stain.<\/p>\n Height<\/strong> 2m. Origin<\/strong> Brazil. Conditions<\/strong> Full sun in a summer garden; winter in conservatory. Hardiness<\/strong> RHS H2, USDA 9a-11. Season<\/strong> Year round.<\/p>\n Recommended by head gardener Mat Reese.<\/p>\n I trialled several morning glories last year and they were surprisingly variable in their performance, but this was one of the best blues. Strong growth covered my 2m-high obelisk<\/a> in foliage and pale-blue flowers erupted all over this plant. It was quite a spectacle, especially alongside some of the less floriferous forms. Avoid over feeding or you\u2019ll end up with lots of leaf and only a few flowers, but other than that, in a sunny position, ipomoeas will provide lots of colour and interest well into the summer and cover up some of those less attractive fences.<\/p>\n Height<\/strong> 1.5-2.5m. Origin<\/strong> Garden origin (species from Mexico). Conditions<\/strong> Moist and well-drained soil; full sun. Hardiness<\/strong> RHS H1C, USDA 9a-11. Season of interest<\/strong> July \u2013 October.<\/p>\n Recommended by head gardener Tom Brown.<\/p>\n I\u2019m always amazed at how tolerant of incredibly poor and sun-baked positions this species of iris<\/a> can be. Often, they hug walls and enjoy a roasting during the summer and then reward us in winter with large, violet flowers that have contrasting yellow signals. Flowering in December isn\u2019t without its challenges, but by planting against a sunny wall, you reduce the impact of the hard frosts, which can damage the freshly emerged flowers. If flowers are hit by the frost, many more soon appear. AGM.<\/p>\n Height<\/strong> 50cm. Origin<\/strong> Garden origin (species from eastern Mediterranean and North Africa). Conditions<\/strong> Free-draining soil; a sheltered position in full sun. Hardiness<\/strong> RHS H5. Season of interest December \u2013 February.<\/p>\n Recommended by head gardener Tom Brown.<\/p>\n55 purple flowers for your garden<\/h2>\n
Salvia pratensis<\/em> \u2018Indigo\u2019<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Geranium<\/em> \u2018Orion\u2019<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Baptisia<\/em> \u2018Purple Smoke\u2019<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Linum narbonense<\/em><\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Tibouchina urvilleana<\/em><\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Ipomoea<\/em> \u2018Caprice\u2019<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Iris unguicularis<\/em> \u2018Mary Barnard\u2019<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Rosa<\/em> \u2018Veilchenblau\u2019<\/h3>\n