Purple / Lilacs

Peony poppies are one of the easiest ways to add a bit of architecture and a lot of dazzle to your garden. 'Violet Blush' produces spectacular palm-sized blooms in a lovely light blushed, violet-pink colour. It is superb in the flower border and looks extra special when planted en mass.

Indescribably elegant, Papaver paeoniflorum 'Lilac Pompom' blooms with lush frilled, dark pink-violet, often palm-sized blooms. Perfect for gardeners in pursuit of an easy-to-grow flowering plant, they are showstoppers when they're in full bloom.

Veteran gardeners are probably already aware of nepeta’s versatility in the garden. From its popular partnering with roses to the softening effect it has on hard edges. Nepeta is an ideal perennial for new gardeners and, of course, cats adore it.

Monarda fistulosa, also known as Bergamot is famed for its medicinal qualities. While in the perennial border these lovely plants produce a mass of mauve-purple blooms (even in their first year from an early sowing) and have uniquely scented foliage. Highly attractive to bees and butterflies.

Lemon Beebalm blooms from May through to August. It has tuft-like lavender to pink whorled flower heads and its small curved petals are lavender often dotted with purple. Several stems grow from the base and are lined with pairs of lance-shaped leaves.

Night or Evening-scented Stock is one of the easiest and rewarding scented plants to grow. The flowers open in the late afternoon and emit a most delightful fragrance. The scent has been compared to vanilla, rose, spice and even cloves. It will become a summer fragrance you will never want to be without!

Matthiola incana ‘Lilac-Lavender’ is a marvellous cut flower strain that reliably produces densely populated panicles on strong, single stems. Long lasting and magnificently fragrant with a sweet and spicy clove scent, this variety is particularly suited for beds and for cutting for the vase.

George Russell developed his Lupins aiming for, and achieving a central stalk or spike totally obscured by colourful flowers. 'The Governor' is one of the most popular from the series and features deep ultramarine blue blooms each with white flag.

Honesty is a dual purpose plant, grown partly for its fragrant purple - pink flowers in spring and summer, but also for its unique seed-heads. Oval and translucent, gleaming with an eerie silver light and coveted by flower arrangers. It is a vital nectar plant and therefore popular with bees and butterflies.

Liatris spicata ‘Goblin’ also known in Europe as ‘Kobold’ is a dwarf, compact cultivar. Growing to just 60cm, it is a valuable addition to perennial gardens as a vertical contrast to mounded or broad-leaved plants and look particularly attractive when planted in large sweeps or drifts in informal settings..

Fragrant, free flowering and heat and drought tolerant. Lavandula angustifolia ‘Vicenza Blue’ bloom the first year from seed. This especially fine lavender has bold clustered flower spikes of deep lavender-blue from mid July to early September.

“Ellagance” are first year flowering lavenders, boasting large flowers and a compact bushy form. 'Ellagance Purple’ with compact foliage, its dwarf habit makes it suitable for borders or patio containers. The deliciously perfumed, rich purple blooms make an enchanting informal aromatic hedge in the garden.

Munstead Lavender is a fragrant robust English lavender that, due to its short size and tightly held blooms, makes a great hedge. It flowers profusely in the spring, after which a good pruning will provide an attractive grey bush with highly aromatic leaves.

Lavendula angustifolia is an excellent plant for low informal hedging and as a specimen evergreen for borders and formal gardens. Flowering generally begins from mid to late June to early July. The flowers have a rich sweet scent and are highly attractive to bees and other beneficial insects.

Lovingly nicknamed the 'unicorn sweet pea', 'Enchante' is an amazing tri-colour variety in blush pink, white and soft mauve or lavender. Raised and introduced by Dr Keith Hammett, this fabulously feminine sweet pea will produce fist fulls of demure little blooms for a gorgeous display.

Ipomoea 'Kniolas Black' is one of the darkest of all Ipomoea varieties available. It blooms with the most stunning dark velvety purple-black flowers, each with cerise throats. Very easy to grow, this extremely carefree and free-blooming climber will bloom early and load itself with masses of attractive dark purple-black flowers all summer long.

This heirloom morning glory originated in Bavaria in Germany and named for the original Seed-saver Baptist John Ott, Ipomoea purpurea 'Grandpa Ott' flowers of intense violet-blue, with a ruby red star. It is a good climber for walls, trellis work or if allowed to scramble through other plants or trees.

An extremely easy to grow, hardy annual plant, Iberis umbellata is quick to grow and is in bloom within two months from a spring sowing. This beautiful lilac form has glossy green leaves and the familiar clusters of fragrant flowers which are attractive to bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects.

Dames Rocket was the favorite flower of Marie Antoinette. The genus name Hesperis is Greek for evening, a reference to this plant's aroma becoming ever more conspicuous towards evening. The fragrance is as sweet as a violet's. The night-scented stock is a close relative.