Purple / Lilacs

In spring, Dame’s Rocket lights up the woodland edges with her blossoms, providing nectar for hummingbirds, moths and butterflies, and fragrance for the soul. Very easy to grow, sow seeds directly where they are to flower in early summer.

Dames Rocket produce flowers varying in colour from deep rich purple, through all the paler lilac shades to white. Highly attractive to bees and other beneficial insects, the fragrant flowers perfume the air in late spring and early summer evenings.

Renowned for its striking, jewel-like hues that stand out even in cooler weather. 'Sugar Rush' is ultra-fast in production and does not require cool temperatures for flowering. Emerging with an apricot/burgundy flush, the spicily scented, bi-coloured flowers of 'Sugar Rush Purple' turn lilac/purple as they mature.

Delphinium 'King Arthur' blooms with deep, royal purple flowers, each with a brilliant white bee. These stately plants add structure and presence to the back of any perennial border or cottage garden where their majesty will truly reign supreme.

Often called the Queen of the Border, Delphinium 'Guinevere' blooms with spires of Lavender rose with white bees that bloom the first year from a December greenhouse sowing. Bring a touch of nostalgia back to the garden, they are worth almost any effort to grow because they are so beautiful.

Delphinium 'Black Knight' produces gorgeous spires that are laden with intensely coloured deep purple flowers. Bloom the first year from an early sowing, these dark-eyed delphiniums are stunning when planted in bold clumps in the garden and are one of the most spectacular cut flowers you can grow.

The Magic Fountains series is a delightful delphinium that grows 75 to 90cm tall. The plants have a good compact habit and because of their short stature and healthy thick stems, does not require staking. 'Magic Fountains Lavender' is a a gorgeous lavender, each bloom has a white centre, called the 'bee'.

What gardener with a heart and soul could resist the spring flowers of Corydalis, whose winged petals with upswept spurs suggest a flight of elfin butterflies. These woodland ephemerals are highly useful at the front of the border, with miniature bulbs such as crocus, muscari or scillas.

The 'Wizard' Series is an excellent example of the new developments of coleus, it is the best seed raised strain for bedding and containers. From the brilliant apricot-bronze Sunset, to red-veined maroon Velvet Red, each is a distinctive work of art. The heart-shaped leaves show their colour early and keeps its hues right through the worst summer heat and humidity. Available in single colours or as a mix.

This beautiful highly versatile, aristocratic border plant has become very much in vogue in recent years. Oval, fleshy blue-green leaves spiral up the stem with tightly packed, sea blue bracts - and then the finale - small clusters of rich purple-blue tubular, nodding flowers which are adored by bees.

One of the most eye-catching Asters we have seen in a long while. 'Lady Coral Lavender' produces captivating silvery lavender, large blooms that are absolutely stunning. Gorgeous great mounds of glorious recurved petals, they are a must-grow for the exquisite colouring alone.

With large blooms of smoky lavender, 'Chrysantella Moonstone' is an excellent variety. Cut flowers last much longer than other varieties and the flowers are not damaged by rain. The vigorous plants produce 10 to 15 flowers per bush, just one plant is enough to create a bouquet.

Blooming from late summer to well into autumn, annual China Asters are easy and fast to grow, the entire growing process from seedling to flower taking just 10 to 15 weeks to complete. In the most desirable shade of lilac, 'Chrysantella, Lilac Mist' are simply gorgeous.

The Antirrhinum 'F1 Twinny' series offers large 'butterfly' azalea flowered blooms that jostle one another for space on compact plants. 'Twinny Violet' blooms with the most luscious, deep violet-magenta double blooms. They grow vigorously and flower freely and are excellent performers in both heat and rain.

Agastache 'Liquorice Blue' has tall spikes of lavender to rich purpley blue lipped flowers, above toothed dark green arrow shaped foliage. When brushed past or crushed, the foliage emits a sweet liquorice perfume. A wonderful plant for attracting bees and butterflies to the garden.

Agastache ‘Liquorice White’ has tall spikes of white lipped flowers and like all Agastache produces copious amounts of nectar for bees and butterflies to feast upon. Flowering late in the season, it is a boon for building up bees’ honey reserves before winter and will produce a honey surplus where drifts are grown.

Agastache pallidiflora produces a continual mass of lavender-rose, scented flowers from June to September. The soft, touchable flower spikes must be one of the prettiest flowers of all this pretty family. Exceptionally long-flowering, they will flower in the same year given an early sowing and can be used as an annual.