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19 Flowers to Paint Your Garden Purple

Create a violet wonderland in your garden with these flowers

Nena Farrell
1 /18 Saxon Holt / Photo Botanic

'Amistad' salvia

(Salvia 'Amistad' PP23578)

Dark purple flowers with nearly black calyx bloom from early spring until frost, no pruning needed. These flowers are a magnet for butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators.

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‘Love and Wishes’ salvia

(Salvia 'Love and Wishes' PPAF)

Deep purple flowers cover these tough plants from early spring to frost, forming a ball of color in your yard.

3 /18 Photo by Doreen L. Wynja; written by Kathleen N. Brenzel

Lilac

(Syringa x 'Declaration')

Star-shaped reddish purple flowers appear in large dramatic clusters in early spring. The scent is spicy sweet—the essence of spring. Most lilacs bloom best in regions with winter chill.

4 /18 Photo by Proven Winners; written by Sharon Cohoon

Heliotrope

(Heliotropium arborescens)

The purple varieties of this flower are more common than others.

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‘Carolina Climbing’ aster

(Aster carolinianus)

Bring on the trellis for this ten-foot beauty. Both deer-tolerant and butterfly-friendly, these asters bloom high from September through November.

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'Fanny' aster

(Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Fanny Aster’)

Fluffy and full, this low-growing, bushy showstopper makes a gorgeous groundcover when in bloom.

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Aromatic aster

(Symphyotrichum oblongifolius)

Fitting for a range of conditions, this fall-blooming, scented perennial tolerates clay, dry, rocky, or sandy soil and coastal conditions.

8 /18 Photo courtesy of High Country Gardens

Lavender

(Lavandula)

English lavender is the most fragrant, but Spanish lavender’s deep purple “rabbit ears” stand out in garden beds.

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'Purple Queen' bougainvillea

(Bougainvillea ‘Purple Queen’)

These deep-plum flowers make a striking statement in planter boxes, along fences, and atop arbors.

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'Silhouette' bougainvillea

(Bougainvillea ‘Silhouette’)

A more compact, bushy bougainvillea, this violet variety pairs nicely with ‘White Stripe.’

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'Showy' penstemon

(Penstemon spectabilis)

The best choice for coastal California, sporting iridescent lavender blue flowers.

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‘Rocky Mountain’ penstemon

(Penstemon strictus)

This Wyoming cold-hardy penstemon has stunning purple-blue blooms.

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Whopping Purple Whiskers pansy

(Viola x wittrockiana ‘Whopping Purple Whiskers’)

Pairing short stems with large, edible flowers, these pansies stretch up to 2.5 inches wide, offering big, bold color.

14 /18 Photo by Linda Lamb Peters

Cool Wave pansy

(Viola x wittrockiana ‘Cool Wave’)

Plant these annuals in full sun and they will grow vigorously up to eight inches tall and thirty inches wide.

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'Bowles Black' pansy

(Viola nigra ‘Bowles Black’)

These dark purple pansies grow well in containers or as charming accents creeping off of rocks and pavers.

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‘On the Edge’ iris

(Iris douglasiana ‘On the Edge’)

Native to Oregon and California’s central coast, these easy-to-grow irises tolerate less-than-perfect conditions and are easy on the eyes.

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Iris chrysographes

(Iris chrysographes)

Add a touch of velvet to the garden with this sweetly-scented deciduous perennial.

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Siberian iris

(Iris ‘Caesar’s Brother’)

This beardless, deep-purple perennial stands upright and thrives in moist soils where most irises will not.