Purple plants add an air of serenity and intrigue to any landscape. Below you’ll find our staff picks of their favourite purple perennials and flowering shrubs.

Brenda’s Pick: Plum Royale Coral Bells

Coral Bells are an excellent accent plant in the semi-shade garden, and Plum Royale is no exception. It has rich, purple foliage with even darker purple venation, and it produces small spikes of white flowers in late spring or early summer. At a foot tall and wide, it can fit just about anywhere in your garden.
 

Carrie’s Pick: Bloomerang Lilac

Dwarf lilacs like the Bloomerang have a small mature size that allows them to fit seamlessly into sunny areas where larger lilacs would be too imposing. The Bloomerang produces clusters of fragrant purple flowers in the spring and reblooms sporadically over the summer months.
 

Devin’s Pick: Hidcote Lavender

Lavender has everything: beautiful purple flowers and a calming fragrance, a long blooming period, good drought tolerance, and generally easy maintenance. It is the perfect low-growing perennial for sunny, well-drained locations.
 

Irene’s Pick: Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud

This unique weeping redbud tree produces pale purple-pink flowers early in the season before the leaves appear. The large heart-shaped leaves are deep burgundy and remain this colour throughout the spring and summer. With a mature size of only six to eight feet, it makes a wonderful small ornamental tree for a sunny area.
 

Lorrie’s Pick: Black Knight Butterfly Bush

The black knight butterfly bush has long been a garden staple, and for good reason – it has stunning, abundant ultra-dark purple flower clusters and provides a rich source of nectar for butterflies and bees. Plant in sunny, well-drained areas.
 

Sylvia’s Pick: Red Dragon Corkscrew Hazel

This shrub has deep burgundy foliage throughout the growing season atop spiralling, contorted branches, which makes it an excellent focal point in the centre of a sunny yard. The twisted branches also provide some interest in the winter when the leaves have fallen off.
 

Wondering what design considerations to make when planting lots of purple? Our garden design page will walk you through the basics of colour, texture, and more.