Purple Plants

Our gardens literally hit a purple patch when it comes to spring.

Blues, Mauves and Purple plants have a great time in the spring garden. There are some plants that put on a dazzling, but short display and, there are others that spread their purple tones for many months. Either way, adding a splash of blue, mauve and purple is a cool thing to do.

Without doubt Ceanothus are one of THE boldest spring performers. Also known as Californian Lilacs, these hardy evergreen shrubs produce and abundance of bluey purple blooms which create a dazzling colour haze that’s hard to beat.

Once of the most popular varieties is Blue Pacific which you’ll find at your local garden centre

Ceanothus come in a number of forms from large shrubs to spreading ground covers like this one – Yankee Point. Caring for them is easy, they like our hot summers and don’t need too much water to survive. Give them a cut back after flower and to keep them in shape, a handful of dynamic lifter now and again and that’s about it. Super tough.

One plant you’ll find in most gardens, which flowers it’s pretty purple and mauve heads off is lavender. Not only are the blooms a delight, so is it’s wonderful scent. Whether it’s French, English or one of the many hybrids you’ll find at your local garden centre, Lavenders are an easy to grow plant which rewards with so much colour.

Blooms don’t have to be big to be beautiful. Hardy Dianellas, one of our native grasses, produce a small, but very sweet purple flower.

If you’re looking for a hedging plant or a specimen you can trim to practically any size then this one is worth a look. Bush Germander’s aromatic silver grey woolly oval leaves are an ideal backdrop for the hundreds of lipped, lavender blue flowers produced through spring and summer.

How about growing something purple that has a sense of showmanship? Well I reckon Echium’s fit that bill perfectly.

Also known as Pride of Madeira, Echiums produce masses of bold and dramatic purple flower spikes over spring. These large architectural shrubs love hot, dry spots and are ideal in coastal and hills gardens alike. Waterwise and wonderful. That’s a great combination.

One thing blue, Purple & Mauve flowers bring to the garden, apart from their stunning colours, are the bees. They literally swarm over these plants. Which is great for pollination of other plants in your yard and your neighbors.

There are so many more plants with purple tones to discover at your local garden centre, take a look and add something special to your yard.