How to Design a Stunning Blue and Purple Garden
These cool hues make for a classic combination. Here’s how to pick and plant the best varieties for your plot
Claudia De Yong
30 May 2020
Houzz UK contributor and award-winning landscape and garden designer. Claudia de Yong Designs offers a consultancy and design service for the private and corporate client. We are also able to source anything for the garden from plants to pots, paving and architectural features . Please visit my new online shop for garden products.
Houzz UK contributor and award-winning landscape and garden designer. Claudia de... More
Keen to create a garden design with a limited palette? If blues and purples suit your style, there are many plants that will provide you with your colour theme – from trees to hedging, shrubs to perennials, annuals and even herbs.
The coolness of blue-coloured plants can act as a foil in the garden, especially for the brighter, hotter shades of yellow and orange, but they also work well with greens, whites and many silver-leafed varieties. Moreover blue, purple and violet are the most attractive colours to bees, meaning your garden will naturally draw more beneficial pollinators.
More in this series: How to Design a Beautiful All-white Garden
The coolness of blue-coloured plants can act as a foil in the garden, especially for the brighter, hotter shades of yellow and orange, but they also work well with greens, whites and many silver-leafed varieties. Moreover blue, purple and violet are the most attractive colours to bees, meaning your garden will naturally draw more beneficial pollinators.
More in this series: How to Design a Beautiful All-white Garden
Focus on fragrance
If you’re thinking of creating a blue and purple scheme in your garden, lavender (pictured) is probably the first plant that will come to mind. Not only is it wonderful for fragrance, it’s also loved by pollinators, especially bees, and is drought- and deer-tolerant.
Lavender is part of the mint family, but not classified as a herb due to its woody stems. There are more than 450 varieties and they range in height from very compact to taller plants that are ideal for hedging. For a reliable purple/blue variety, try the English Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’.
As an alternative to lavender, which may need replacing after a few years once it becomes woody or leggy, try catmint or Nepeta. This tough, clump- forming perennial has a mass of stems with tiny blue flowers and can be chopped back hard after flowering. Nepeta x faassenii ‘Walker’s Low’ is my favourite and is often used for hedging along paths. If frequently deadheaded and chopped back, it will flower well into the autumn. For a taller variety, opt for Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’.
Another aromatic shrub to try is the Russian sage, Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’, which produces open panicles of small tubular blue flowers from late summer.
If you’re thinking of creating a blue and purple scheme in your garden, lavender (pictured) is probably the first plant that will come to mind. Not only is it wonderful for fragrance, it’s also loved by pollinators, especially bees, and is drought- and deer-tolerant.
Lavender is part of the mint family, but not classified as a herb due to its woody stems. There are more than 450 varieties and they range in height from very compact to taller plants that are ideal for hedging. For a reliable purple/blue variety, try the English Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’.
As an alternative to lavender, which may need replacing after a few years once it becomes woody or leggy, try catmint or Nepeta. This tough, clump- forming perennial has a mass of stems with tiny blue flowers and can be chopped back hard after flowering. Nepeta x faassenii ‘Walker’s Low’ is my favourite and is often used for hedging along paths. If frequently deadheaded and chopped back, it will flower well into the autumn. For a taller variety, opt for Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’.
Another aromatic shrub to try is the Russian sage, Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’, which produces open panicles of small tubular blue flowers from late summer.
Repeat colours
Using the same plant and repeating it along a border is always a good idea, as it helps to carry the eye through the garden and links the opposing beds.
In this planting scheme, the dark violet floral spikes of Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ stand out, as do the mounds of feathery, purple-headed French lavender to the front of the border.
Tall, deep blue delphiniums ‘pop up’ along the back and Allium cristophii mingles with other blue flowers, all held together by the subtle lime green foliage of the lady’s mantle –Alchemilla mollis – along the front of the borders.
The Alchemilla works as a punctuation mark, bringing out all the blue and purple hues. Elsewhere, grey or silver foliage, such as the small mounds of Stachys byzantina ‘Silver Carpet’ (lamb’s ear), makes the blue colours stand out.
Using the same plant and repeating it along a border is always a good idea, as it helps to carry the eye through the garden and links the opposing beds.
In this planting scheme, the dark violet floral spikes of Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ stand out, as do the mounds of feathery, purple-headed French lavender to the front of the border.
Tall, deep blue delphiniums ‘pop up’ along the back and Allium cristophii mingles with other blue flowers, all held together by the subtle lime green foliage of the lady’s mantle –Alchemilla mollis – along the front of the borders.
The Alchemilla works as a punctuation mark, bringing out all the blue and purple hues. Elsewhere, grey or silver foliage, such as the small mounds of Stachys byzantina ‘Silver Carpet’ (lamb’s ear), makes the blue colours stand out.
Include edibles
Many of our herbs used for culinary purposes produce lovely blue-coloured blooms. Rosemary (pictured) was known for many years as Rosmarinus officinalis, but has now been classified by the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) as a sage or salvia, and is called Salvia rosmarinus. This evergreen plant has aromatic dark green foliage and, left uncut, produces spikes of pale or rich blue flowers, depending on the variety. It can be used as a standalone plant in borders or for low hedging.
Hyssop is a semi-evergreen aromatic herb that produces rich blue/violet flowers attractive to pollinators.
Borage is an annual herb with amazing vivid blue flowers. It has a tendency to colonise the garden once planted and can be hard to get rid of. However, by deadheading as soon as the flowers fade, you should be able to prevent its spread.
Keen to attract bees and butterflies? See 10 purple summer flowers pollinators will love.
Many of our herbs used for culinary purposes produce lovely blue-coloured blooms. Rosemary (pictured) was known for many years as Rosmarinus officinalis, but has now been classified by the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) as a sage or salvia, and is called Salvia rosmarinus. This evergreen plant has aromatic dark green foliage and, left uncut, produces spikes of pale or rich blue flowers, depending on the variety. It can be used as a standalone plant in borders or for low hedging.
Hyssop is a semi-evergreen aromatic herb that produces rich blue/violet flowers attractive to pollinators.
Borage is an annual herb with amazing vivid blue flowers. It has a tendency to colonise the garden once planted and can be hard to get rid of. However, by deadheading as soon as the flowers fade, you should be able to prevent its spread.
Keen to attract bees and butterflies? See 10 purple summer flowers pollinators will love.
Cultivate cimbers
There are many climbers that produce wonderful blue flowers. Among them is the exotic blue passion flower, Passiflora caerulea (pictured), a sun-loving, glossy and relatively fast-growing semi-evergreen that will soon cover walls and fences. The large white flowers, with central filaments of purple, are followed by orange, plum-shaped fruits loved by birds.
Also look at clematis: there are around 300 species within the buttercup family. They’re classified into three groups, depending on when they bloom and their individual characteristics, and they range in colour from the palest of blues to the strongest of violets.
Clematis alpina, from Group 1, is an early-spring-flowering variety with small, bell-shaped, mid-blue flowers, ideal for a north- or east-facing site. Clematis ‘Jackmanii’, from Group 3, has sumptuous, deep purple velvety flowers from mid-summer to early autumn.
For a sheltered position, try the evergreen Sollya heterophylla, which bears a profusion of dangling, dainty, pale blue flowers and purple berries in the autumn.
Wisteria produces panicles or clusters of highly scented violet/blue flowers. Some varieties even display a range of colours on one flower cluster. One such variety is the spectacular Wisteria floribunda f. multijuga, which has different shades, ranging from soft lilac to darker violet markings, all down the trusses.
There are many climbers that produce wonderful blue flowers. Among them is the exotic blue passion flower, Passiflora caerulea (pictured), a sun-loving, glossy and relatively fast-growing semi-evergreen that will soon cover walls and fences. The large white flowers, with central filaments of purple, are followed by orange, plum-shaped fruits loved by birds.
Also look at clematis: there are around 300 species within the buttercup family. They’re classified into three groups, depending on when they bloom and their individual characteristics, and they range in colour from the palest of blues to the strongest of violets.
Clematis alpina, from Group 1, is an early-spring-flowering variety with small, bell-shaped, mid-blue flowers, ideal for a north- or east-facing site. Clematis ‘Jackmanii’, from Group 3, has sumptuous, deep purple velvety flowers from mid-summer to early autumn.
For a sheltered position, try the evergreen Sollya heterophylla, which bears a profusion of dangling, dainty, pale blue flowers and purple berries in the autumn.
Wisteria produces panicles or clusters of highly scented violet/blue flowers. Some varieties even display a range of colours on one flower cluster. One such variety is the spectacular Wisteria floribunda f. multijuga, which has different shades, ranging from soft lilac to darker violet markings, all down the trusses.
Show off some shrubs
There are so many shrubs that will provide you with blue flowers from spring to summer. The butterfly bush, Buddleja (pictured), is just one. This is a fantastic shrub, with many varieties producing long panicles of blooms from the palest purple to the darkest and richest violet, including Buddleja davidii ‘Black Knight’. The dense spikes of tiny, fragrant, dark purple flowers are loved by butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Keep deadheading to encourage the plant to produce more flowers and to stop any unwanted seedlings.
You could also try hydrangeas, which come in various shades, though to keep the plants producing blue/mauve blooms, you need to site them in acidic soil with a pH of 5.5.
Ceanothus (Californian lilac) is an evergreen and fairly fast-growing bushy shrub with masses of blue flowers. It’s suitable for windy and coastal situations. Some varieties can be trained against a wall, some will work as a low-growing shrub, while others will even cascade over walls.
Inspired? Find a local landscape architect or garden designer to begin planning your dream outside space.
There are so many shrubs that will provide you with blue flowers from spring to summer. The butterfly bush, Buddleja (pictured), is just one. This is a fantastic shrub, with many varieties producing long panicles of blooms from the palest purple to the darkest and richest violet, including Buddleja davidii ‘Black Knight’. The dense spikes of tiny, fragrant, dark purple flowers are loved by butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Keep deadheading to encourage the plant to produce more flowers and to stop any unwanted seedlings.
You could also try hydrangeas, which come in various shades, though to keep the plants producing blue/mauve blooms, you need to site them in acidic soil with a pH of 5.5.
Ceanothus (Californian lilac) is an evergreen and fairly fast-growing bushy shrub with masses of blue flowers. It’s suitable for windy and coastal situations. Some varieties can be trained against a wall, some will work as a low-growing shrub, while others will even cascade over walls.
Inspired? Find a local landscape architect or garden designer to begin planning your dream outside space.
Try tall perennials
For height in the borders of a blue and purple garden, alliums and delphiniums (pictured) work well.
Allium hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’ is probably one of the most popular of all the alliums. As well as thriving in mixed borders or pots, they’re also well suited to gravel or prairie-style planting schemes. Alliums are best teamed with herbaceous geraniums or ornamental grasses, which will also help to mask their leaves as they die off.
There are lots of varieties of blue/mauve phlox, iris and delphinium (for a true blue, try Delphinium ‘Aurora Blue’), which will all add height in the border.
Echinops, the globe thistle, as well as the dainty, tall stems of Verbena bonariensis, which will float above many other plants in the border, suit a blue and purple theme, and work well in drier gardens, too.
For planting in a container, as they are less hardy, try Agapanthus (African Lily), which will rise above clumps of strappy foliage. These tall-stemmed plants, with large, spherical flower heads, come in beautiful shades of blue. Agapanthus ‘Purple Cloud’ has wonderful, deep violet-blue flowers in mid to late summer.
Salvia patens, commonly known as gentian sage, has outstanding intense blue flowers. Try it in a container, as it can be a bit tender.
For height in the borders of a blue and purple garden, alliums and delphiniums (pictured) work well.
Allium hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’ is probably one of the most popular of all the alliums. As well as thriving in mixed borders or pots, they’re also well suited to gravel or prairie-style planting schemes. Alliums are best teamed with herbaceous geraniums or ornamental grasses, which will also help to mask their leaves as they die off.
There are lots of varieties of blue/mauve phlox, iris and delphinium (for a true blue, try Delphinium ‘Aurora Blue’), which will all add height in the border.
Echinops, the globe thistle, as well as the dainty, tall stems of Verbena bonariensis, which will float above many other plants in the border, suit a blue and purple theme, and work well in drier gardens, too.
For planting in a container, as they are less hardy, try Agapanthus (African Lily), which will rise above clumps of strappy foliage. These tall-stemmed plants, with large, spherical flower heads, come in beautiful shades of blue. Agapanthus ‘Purple Cloud’ has wonderful, deep violet-blue flowers in mid to late summer.
Salvia patens, commonly known as gentian sage, has outstanding intense blue flowers. Try it in a container, as it can be a bit tender.
Go low with ground cover
No garden should be without hardy geraniums and there are so many blue/mauve plants to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choice. They’re very attractive to bees, particularly the blue cranesbill varieties.
One of my favourites is Geranium x magnificum ‘Rosemoor’, which produces dense clusters of heavily veined and rich violet flowers among mid-green leaves. Other varieties to look out for include Geranium ‘Orion’, an intense blue variety that offers a great deal of nectar for honeybees, and Geranium ‘Rozanne’ (pictured), which, like ‘Orion’, will flower for months on end. Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’ is a taller version than the others, with pale blue/lavender saucer-shaped flowers.
Another ground cover plant, which will trail over walls, too, is Vinca (periwinkle). Vinca minor is an excellent evergreen, flowering from May to September with blue/violet flowers, and is much less invasive than its sister plant, Vinca major. Some Vinca also display a variegated leaf.
No garden should be without hardy geraniums and there are so many blue/mauve plants to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choice. They’re very attractive to bees, particularly the blue cranesbill varieties.
One of my favourites is Geranium x magnificum ‘Rosemoor’, which produces dense clusters of heavily veined and rich violet flowers among mid-green leaves. Other varieties to look out for include Geranium ‘Orion’, an intense blue variety that offers a great deal of nectar for honeybees, and Geranium ‘Rozanne’ (pictured), which, like ‘Orion’, will flower for months on end. Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’ is a taller version than the others, with pale blue/lavender saucer-shaped flowers.
Another ground cover plant, which will trail over walls, too, is Vinca (periwinkle). Vinca minor is an excellent evergreen, flowering from May to September with blue/violet flowers, and is much less invasive than its sister plant, Vinca major. Some Vinca also display a variegated leaf.
Sow your own
Many plants can be grown from seed or will happily self-seed in the garden. Varieties such as Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata ‘Blue Barlow’, or granny’s bonnet, look stunning in the spring, providing an understory for plants such as alliums.
For a darker purple, try Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata ‘Black Barlow’ (pictured). This double, dark purple-flowered perennial looks wonderful with other plants and, although short-lived, will self-seed freely.
Forget-me-not, or Myosotis sylvatica, produces azure blue flowers from early spring onwards. As it’s a biennial, it will pop up all around the garden over time, self-seeding among other plants or even in-between paths and edgings.
Many plants can be grown from seed or will happily self-seed in the garden. Varieties such as Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata ‘Blue Barlow’, or granny’s bonnet, look stunning in the spring, providing an understory for plants such as alliums.
For a darker purple, try Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata ‘Black Barlow’ (pictured). This double, dark purple-flowered perennial looks wonderful with other plants and, although short-lived, will self-seed freely.
Forget-me-not, or Myosotis sylvatica, produces azure blue flowers from early spring onwards. As it’s a biennial, it will pop up all around the garden over time, self-seeding among other plants or even in-between paths and edgings.
Don’t forget foliage
There are many dark-leaved or purple foliage plants that lend themselves to a limited palette and work well with blue-flowered perennials and annuals.
The smoke tree, Cotinus ‘Grace’, is a vigorous shrub, festooned with fluffy plumes of pinkish flowers, that has purple-tinted oval leaves.
The purple-leaved variety of beech, Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’ (pictured), also known as copper beech, can be grown as a tree or hedge and works beautifully against blue-flowering plants.
For low-growing purple foliage, there are the many shades of Heuchera. Look out for Heuchera ‘Purple Petticoats’, ‘Palace Purple’ and ‘Obsidian’ – and if you’re growing them just for foliage, remove the flower spikes when these start to show.
There are many dark-leaved or purple foliage plants that lend themselves to a limited palette and work well with blue-flowered perennials and annuals.
The smoke tree, Cotinus ‘Grace’, is a vigorous shrub, festooned with fluffy plumes of pinkish flowers, that has purple-tinted oval leaves.
The purple-leaved variety of beech, Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’ (pictured), also known as copper beech, can be grown as a tree or hedge and works beautifully against blue-flowering plants.
For low-growing purple foliage, there are the many shades of Heuchera. Look out for Heuchera ‘Purple Petticoats’, ‘Palace Purple’ and ‘Obsidian’ – and if you’re growing them just for foliage, remove the flower spikes when these start to show.
Add some annuals
Once upon a time, the native cornflower, Centaurea cyanus (pictured), could be seen growing vigorously through our corn crops. The electric blue flowers often appear in wildflower mixes, are loved by pollinators, and also work well as cut flowers. If you want a deep burgundy-coloured variety, look for C. cyanus ‘Black Ball’, which looks spectacular teamed with grasses.
For an annual with a wonderful mass of blue flowers perfect for trailing over pots or for edging borders, opt for Lobelia erinus ‘Cambridge Blue’.
For a real stand-out treasure, try the annual Himalayan blue poppy – though it’s somewhat stubborn to grow. Some are perennial, although they’ll also be short-lived. One such variety is Meconopsis baileyi, which has bowl-shaped, papery blue flowers so enchanting they look almost surreal.
Tell us…
Does your garden have a palette – or do you prefer a multi-coloured mass of blooms? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments.
Once upon a time, the native cornflower, Centaurea cyanus (pictured), could be seen growing vigorously through our corn crops. The electric blue flowers often appear in wildflower mixes, are loved by pollinators, and also work well as cut flowers. If you want a deep burgundy-coloured variety, look for C. cyanus ‘Black Ball’, which looks spectacular teamed with grasses.
For an annual with a wonderful mass of blue flowers perfect for trailing over pots or for edging borders, opt for Lobelia erinus ‘Cambridge Blue’.
For a real stand-out treasure, try the annual Himalayan blue poppy – though it’s somewhat stubborn to grow. Some are perennial, although they’ll also be short-lived. One such variety is Meconopsis baileyi, which has bowl-shaped, papery blue flowers so enchanting they look almost surreal.
Tell us…
Does your garden have a palette – or do you prefer a multi-coloured mass of blooms? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments.
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Great article. I’m a complete beginner at gardening. I’m have a beautiful beech hedge running along my garden and was planning to do something like in picture 1 in front of it. I didn’t know where to start so this has helped greatly. The on,y thing now is there is just so much choice I don’t know what to do! We don’t have the budget for a landscape gardener so I was wondering has there ever been posts or are there websites which do a step by step guide e.g. here is a picture, here are the plants used, we recommend that you plant them in like this?
Janet thank you so much. My last article is out now as I haven't been asked to write anymore for the time being. So pleased you enjoyed my contributions.
Ger Sexton Unfortunately there is no actual answer to what to plant where in a is plentiful format as it depends on so many factors. There are plenty of sites and images that you can find inspiration from but it will depend on your soil type, aspect, style of planting etc. The basic principles are to make sure you have enough structure to take you through the winter months so you need a combination of shrubs and herbaceous perennials as well as trees to add height. Plant in odd numbers so buy in 3,5, 7 and don't dot plants around try to group them so you have more of a drift of planting and colour. Hope this helps a bit- just have a go thats the main thing and enjoy it!