28 Purple Flowers to Beautify Your Garden

This ornamental shrub is a popular alternative to lilac in hot southern states (USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7 to 9), where it prefers full sun and loose, well-draining soil. Varieties range from 3 feet tall ('Blue Puffball') to 20 feet tall (´Shoal Creek´). Taller chastetrees can be pruned into small, multi-trunk trees. Both butterflies and bees flock to their fragrant purple blooms.

Also known as althea, this shrub will grace your landscape with bluish-purple double blooms throughout the summer. "One of my absolute favorite fresh and dried flowers," says Melissa Lallo Johnson, a Midwest-based master gardener who shares her expansive garden on Instagram at @fancyflowerfarmer.

Johnson likes to use the dried flowers of 'Blueberry Smoothie' Rose of Sharon in craft projects, such as nestling them in moss in a glass box. "They dry perfectly in a food dehydrator or in silica beads placed in an airtight container. When dried they retain much of their color. They are prolific bloomers and reseed easily. They are great in part shade but will bloom more heavily with full sun."

This fast-climbing vine is a popular ornamental that climbs fences, porches, and trellises, but it can also be a ground cover, says Johnson.

“Many of my clematis plants are strewn on the ground where they create a mass of flowers and pretty ground cover. They wind their way through plants and with a little help they can be trained to meander through tree branches," she says. "There are so many different kinds, but most of mine are a shade of purple. If you clip them and let them air dry in a basement, they can be used for craft projects over the winter months."

Learn how to grow clematis.

Most varieties of lilac bushes bloom in late May, but the window is fleeting—about three weeks!—so don't blink or you might miss them. Treasured for their fragrant flowers, lilacs benefit from long winters. Some varieties, such as cutleaf lilac (Syringa x laciniata) can tolerate a bit more heat.

Learn about growing lilac bushes.

Hailing from the Southeastern U.S., this drought-tolerant member of the daisy family is a good nectar source for butterflies. "It's probably my favorite purple flower," says landscape designer Daniel McCurry of Father Nature Landscapes in Birmingham, Alabama. Good news for cooler climates—it is cold hardy as low as USDA zone 5. Purple varieties include 'Purple Upright', 'Bluestone' (a bluish-purple dwarf), and 'Colorwheel', whose blooms turn from white to mauve with age.

You can't beat salvia for a low-maintenance flower for sunny beds. The purple-blooming perennial variety 'May Night' (pictured; hardy in zones 4 to 8) is another of McCurry's favorites.

A member of the onion family, this striking perennial blooms in late spring and early summer and lasts for weeks. Easy to please, allium can be planted on their own or mixed with other plants.

Use this sun-loving, insect-repelling plant along walkways or garden paths where you can really enjoy its scent. Ranging from 1 to 3 feet tall and wide, these small shrubs will also supply you with raw materials for divine-smelling lavender crafts and recipes.

The jacaranda tree produces foot-long clusters of blooms measuring about two inches apiece. Native to South America, in the U.S., they're best in warm, coastal areas like California and Florida. They are cold sensitive below 27 degrees Fahrenheit.

These bell-shaped blooms grow in both white and bluish purple varieties, but the latter is most common. They enjoy well-drained soil and plenty of sunshine.

Growing only 6 to 8 inches tall, these tiny wildflowers are a great option for borders or edging.

Plant lupine in your vegetable garden near the squash, cucumber and broccoli—these showy, tall purple flowers help improve soil quality and in turn can help other plants grow.

Except for white varieties, hydrangea flowers can change from pink to purple to blue based on the pH level of their soil. To keep your petals purple, aim for a pH level of about 5.5. Tip: It's easier to control pH levels in a pot, so consider planting your hydrangea bushes in containers if you're partial to a particular color.

Learn how to care for hydrangeas.