Purple perennials offer some of the most striking and long-lasting color in the garden, providing months of continuous blooms while requiring minimal maintenance once established. From the delicate lavender hues of Russian sage to the deep violet spikes of salvia, these nine exceptional purple perennials will transform your garden into a season-long spectacle of color. Whether you’re designing a cottage garden, creating a modern landscape, or simply want reliable color from spring through fall, these hardy beauties deliver outstanding performance year after year.
Why Choose Long-Blooming Purple Perennials?
Purple flowers bring a sense of elegance and sophistication to any garden design. Unlike annuals that require yearly replanting, perennials establish strong root systems and return each season with increased vigor and bloom production. Long-blooming varieties provide exceptional value, offering months of color instead of brief flowering periods.
Purple perennials also offer incredible versatility in garden design. Lighter purple and lavender shades create calming, romantic atmospheres, while deep purples add drama and sophistication. Purple flowers complement virtually every other color in the garden, creating stunning contrasts with yellow and orange blooms, harmonizing beautifully with pink and blue flowers, and providing elegant backdrops for white and silver foliage.
The extended blooming period of these perennials means less work for gardeners. Instead of constantly replanting seasonal color, you can rely on these dependable performers to provide consistent beauty throughout the growing season. Many also offer additional benefits like attracting pollinators, providing cut flowers, or serving as deer-resistant landscaping options.
1. Catmint (Nepeta): The Fragrant Favorite
Bloom Time: Late spring to fall Height: 12-36 inches Spread: 18-36 inches Zones: 3-8
Catmint stands out as one of the most reliable and beautiful purple perennials available. Its soft purple-blue flowers appear in dense spikes above aromatic, gray-green foliage from late spring through the first frost. The blooms attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects while deer and rabbits typically avoid the plant due to its strong fragrance.
Top Varieties:
- ‘Walker’s Low’: Compact at 12-15 inches, perfect for borders
- ‘Six Hills Giant’: Larger variety reaching 24-36 inches
- ‘Purrsian Blue’: Intense blue-purple flowers, very long blooming
Growing Tips: Plant catmint in full sun to partial shade in well-draining soil. It’s extremely drought tolerant once established and actually prefers lean soils over rich, fertile ground. Cut back by one-third after the first flush of blooms to encourage a second wave of flowers and maintain compact growth.
Design Uses: Catmint excels as an edging plant, in mixed borders, or as a groundcover for slopes. Its billowing growth habit softens hard edges and creates informal, cottage garden appeal. Plant in masses for greatest impact, or use as a transition plant between taller perennials and shorter annuals.
2. Salvia (Salvia nemorosa): The Reliable Rebloomer
Bloom Time: Late spring to fall Height: 18-24 inches Spread: 12-18 inches Zones: 4-8
Woodland sage produces abundant spikes of deep purple-blue flowers that rise above neat mounds of textured foliage. This perennial salvia is incredibly drought tolerant and rebounds quickly after deadheading, often producing three or more flushes of bloom throughout the season.
Top Varieties:
- ‘May Night’ (Mainacht): Deep violet-purple, compact growth
- ‘Caradonna’: Dark purple flowers with nearly black stems
- ‘New Dimension Blue’: Shorter variety at 12-14 inches
Growing Tips: Salvia thrives in full sun and well-draining soil but adapts to various conditions. Deadhead spent flower spikes promptly to encourage continuous blooming. In hot climates, provide some afternoon shade to extend bloom periods. Cut plants back by half in late fall or early spring.
Design Uses: Use salvia in formal borders, cottage gardens, or contemporary landscapes. Its upright form provides excellent vertical accent among lower, spreading perennials. Plant in groups of three or five for maximum visual impact, and consider pairing with ornamental grasses for textural contrast.
3. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia): The Architectural Beauty
Bloom Time: Midsummer to fall Height: 36-48 inches Spread: 24-36 inches Zones: 4-9
Russian sage brings an airy, architectural quality to the garden with its silvery stems and clouds of tiny lavender-purple flowers. The plant’s fine texture and upright habit make it invaluable for creating structure in perennial borders while providing months of delicate color.
Top Varieties:
- ‘Blue Spire’: Upright growth with deeper blue flowers
- ‘Filigran’: More compact with finely cut foliage
- ‘Little Lace’: Dwarf variety reaching only 24 inches
Growing Tips: Plant in full sun and well-draining soil. Russian sage is extremely drought and heat tolerant once established. Cut the entire plant back to 6-12 inches in late winter or early spring, as it blooms on new wood. Avoid rich, moist soils which can cause weak, floppy growth.
Design Uses: Use Russian sage as a backdrop for shorter perennials or as a specimen plant in mixed borders. Its fine texture contrasts beautifully with bold-leaved plants like hostas or large ornamental grasses. The silvery foliage provides an excellent neutral element that ties together diverse color schemes.
4. Lavender (Lavandula): The Aromatic Classic
Bloom Time: Late spring to summer, with repeat blooming Height: 12-36 inches Spread: 18-30 inches Zones: 5-9 (varies by species)
Lavender offers the perfect combination of beautiful purple flowers, incredible fragrance, and numerous practical uses. The classic purple flower spikes appear above aromatic gray-green foliage, creating a Mediterranean atmosphere in any garden setting.
Top Varieties:
- ‘Hidcote’: Deep purple flowers, compact growth
- ‘Munstead’: Early blooming, cold hardy
- ‘Grosso’: Tall variety excellent for cutting
Growing Tips: Lavender requires excellent drainage and full sun exposure. Plant in sandy or gravelly soil, or amend heavy clay with compost and coarse sand. Avoid overwatering and overfertilizing, which can reduce flower production and winter hardiness. Prune lightly after blooming to maintain shape.
Design Uses: Create formal hedges, informal borders, or Mediterranean-style gardens with lavender. It’s perfect for herb gardens, cutting gardens, or as specimen plants in containers. Plant along pathways where the fragrance can be enjoyed, or use in rock gardens and drought-tolerant landscapes.
5. Geranium ‘Rozanne’ (Cranesbill): The Ground-Covering Champion
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