* Watch for the animated hummingbird and butterfly with the plants that attract them. *
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The best time and method to propagate plants can be found on our image-intensive PROPAGATION page.

To help your plants grow their best, check out our FERTILIZATION page.

To create your own plant partnerships based on tried and true color theory, check out our GARDEN COLOR page.

To see if a particular plant is on this page press Ctrl+F, type in the name, then click the Find button.

LIRIOPE

Lilyturf is perfect for any garden needing an attractive groundcover plant for a difficult spot in the shade. The evergreen foliage appears grass-like and needs only a light trim in early spring to tidy up a entire patch. The fact that it blooms in late summer makes it all the more appealing. Liriope muscari is not as cold-hardy as Liriope spicata.

Liriope:  Lilyturf

where:  along paths or walkways
with:  Astilbe, Bergenia, Hosta, Colchicum autumnale
with:  Ornamental Grasses, including Helictotrichon sempervirens

where:  around the base of a shade tree
with:  Anemone sylvestris, Heuchera, Tiarella, Polemonium caeruleum, Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

with:  Liriope muscari 'Munroe’s White'

in shade beside:  Ajuga

where:  best in average to moist, well-drained sites, in acidic soil
with:  Verbena, Helictotrichon sempervirens, Yucca, Aquilegia, Limonium latifolium

PLATYCODON

The Bellflower genus provides wonderful mid-summer blooms in a variety of colours, many with purple tones. They all prefer full sun to light shade and average to rich, well-drained soil. Staking is only necessary for those plants grown in especially rich soil or in part shade. Space them one foot apart in a spot where they can be left undisturbed for a long time.

Foliage is very late to appear in spring so it is recommended that the plant's position be marked well in fall to avoid cutting into the pre-emergent roots. This can be done with stakes, by leaving fall foliage in place until new foliage emerges the following spring, or by surrounding them with bulbs such as Grape Hyacinths whose early spring foliage with mark their late-appearing neighbour's spot.

Platycodon grandiflorus:  lavender

with:  Chrysanthemum x superbum (now:  Leucanthemum x superbum) Shasta Daisy
with:  peach-coloured Hemerocallis

POLEMONIUM

Usually lavender-blue in colour, the woodlander commonly known as Jacob's Ladder is available in pink, white and yellows forms as well. The common name is derived from the positioning of the leaves, like rungs on a ladder. All forms are extremely hardy.

Polemonium

with:  Hosta
with:  Narcissus (daffodils & jonquil)

where:  informal gardens, in borders or woodlands, planted in masses
where:  under shrubs (Syringa) or airy flowering trees, in masses
behind:  Campanula persicifolia 'Alba'
in shade behind:  Corydalis lutea
in shade with:  Hosta, ferns, Aruncus dioicus
with bulbs:  Narcissus
under:  Dicentra spectabilis
with:  Aquilegia, Perovskia atriplicifolia, Phlox paniculata, Ornamental Grasses
long-flowering duo in part shade with:  Dicentra eximia
long-blooming duo in shade with:  yellow Corydalis lutea
with:  Phlox paniculata, particularly 'Eva Callum' or 'Franz Schubert'
mass planted with:  Astilbe, Bergenia (esp. 'Bressingham Ruby'), Helleborus orientalis, Galium odoratum

said to be:  "a breath of fresh air among shade-loving perennials"
follow the link for photographs and more information:   Blooms of Bressingham, New Zealand
where:  light shade, in rich, moist, well-drained soil
with:  grey-blue or cream and green variegated hostas, ferns including native Asplenium bulbiferum
with:  Pulmonaria esp. silvery 'Majeste', Helleborus orientalis, Heuchera
with moisture-loving:  Ligularia 'Britt-Marie Crawford' with chocolate foliage
with:  Aruncus dioicus, Perovskia atriplicifolia, most Ornamental Grasses
mass planted with:  Astilbe, Bergenia, Galium odoratum

with:  Papaver orientale (orange/crimson forms)

in shade with:  Dodecatheon meadia
with bulbs:  Narcissus
combined with:  Phlox divaricata, white Trillium & Tiarella

SALVIA

Many superb purple-coloured perennials can be found in the genus Salvia. Most have showy, erect spikes of two-lipped flowers, some have aromatic leaves and a few have wonderfully variegated foliage. The square stems clearly place these plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae.

Salvia:  Sage, Perennial Salvia

where:  warm, sunny site
shape contrast with:  Achillea (flat-topped);  Hardy Geranium (rounded)
with:  Platycodon grandiflorus, Hemerocallis, Tanacetum vulgare
colour contrast with:  Helenium 'Hoopesii' (Orange Helenium), Rudbeckia
colour contrast with:  Linum flavum, Solidago canadensis
beside:  Phlox paniculata (an orange form)
with:  Oenothera speciosa 'Rosea'
with:  Rudbeckia, Hemerocallis
with:  Anthemis tinctoria 'Kelwayi'
with:  Anemone hupehensis 'September Charm'
with:  Allium schoenoprasum (Common Chives)
with:  Dictamnus albus purpureus
combined with:  Achillea 'Coronation Gold', Lilium, Lythrum, Nepeta, Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead' & Veronica

seen in the photo above with Festuca, Heuchera sanguinea and red-foliaged Sempervivum tectorum
with:  Alchemilla mollis
with:  Achillea filipendulina 'Parker's Variety'

with:  Helianthus multiflorus
with:  Phlox paniculata 'Mt. Fujiyama' (white, late-blooming)

with:  Achillea millefolium 'Fire King'
with:  Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
combined with:  Perovskia atriplicifolia & Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm'

synonym:  Salvia pratensis
with:   red Papaver

synonym:  Salvia virgata var. nemorosa
with:  Yucca, Achillea, Sedum, Rudbeckia, Hemerocallis, Coreopsis
generally with:  Daisies, Mums, Ornamental Grasses

with:  Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb'

with:  Geranium endressii 'Wargrave Pink', Oenothera, Nepeta, Campanula, Phlox & Iris

over:  Dyssodia tenuiloba
beside:  Santolina chamaecyparissus, Dianthus 'Aqua'
in front of:  Kniphofia 'Royal Castle'

with:  Heuchera sanguinea 'Irish Mist' (a red variegated form) or 'Snow Storm'
over:  Ocimum basilicum 'Dark Opal'
in front of:  Helianthemum 'Wisley Pink'
beside:  Sedum 'Vera Jameson', Stachys byzantina

where:  borders or rock gardens
in front of:  Allium sphaerocephalum
in front of:  Baptisia australis, Lysimachia punctata
combined with:  Armeria maritima 'Dusseldorfer Pride', Stachys byzantina, Artemisia (feathery form) & Achillea
combined with:  Sedum spectabile & Eupatorium (lavender-blue)
with:  Achillea millefolium 'Cerise Queen'
with:  Yucca, Achillea, Sedum, Rudbeckia, Hemerocallis, Coreopsis, Stachys byzantina
generally with:  Daisies, Mums, Ornamental Grasses
combined with:  Achillea x 'Coronation Gold' & Chrysanthemum x superbum
combined with:  Achillea x 'Coronation Gold', Lavandula 'Munstead', Lilium, Lythrum, Nepeta & Veronica
beside:  Phlox paniculata (orange), Achillea 'Gold Plate'
behind:  Heliopsis (double yellow)
with:  Papaver orientale (deep crimson)

note:  follow the link for a profile of Salvia x superba 'East Friesland'
seen in the photograph above with:  a pink Dianthus and a blue Festuca grass
with:  Dianthus
in general with:  light yellows, pinks, rosy-pinks
with:  Allium christophii & Nepeta
beside:  Helictotrichon sempervirens
beside or offset behind:  Achillea x 'Moonshine'
in front of:  Achillea 'Paprika'
in front of:  Paeonia lactiflora (Common Garden Peony)
with:  Rosa, Lilium 'Design' (white with yellow throat), Yucca
with::  Sedum, Hemerocallis, Gaillardia, Rudbeckia,Coreopsis
with:  Dendranthema (Garden Mum), Daisies, Ornamental Grasses
in front of:  pink roses
with:  Tulipa (pink, lavender & plum)

what:  a hybrid of S. pratensis and S. nemorosa
with:  Papaver orientale, Coreopsis auriculata 'Nana', Hemerocallis 'Stella d'Oro'
combined with:  Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red' & Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'
combined with:  Centaurea macrocephala, Digitalis lanata & Campanula persificolia 'Grandiflora Alba'

generally with:  June-blooming perennials (rosy-coloured)
for color and shape contrast with:  Paeonia (pink or dark red)
behind:  Eryngium 'Miss Willmott's Ghost', all amid California Poppy

synonym:  Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica
what:  biennial grown as annual, white & lavender-purple flowers
with:  Chrysanthemum x superbum

STOKESIA

Amid all of late summer's bright oranges and yellows the lavender-blue tones of the Stoke's Aster, a drought-resistant perennial, are a welcome addition to any garden. Happy in either full sun or light shade, and in moist, well-drained, sandy soil, this beautiful flower "combines the precision of a thistle with the softness of an aster". Cutting stems back to the base will encourage rebloom. Also look for pink and white forms of this lovely native North American wildflower.

Stokesia laevis:  Stoke's Aster12-24"x12"

note:  see this beauty in the border around this page, and in the images at the top of the page and directly above
with:  Verbena, Artemisia

VERONICA

Among purple-flowered perennials, one of my favourite groups is the Veronicas, commonly called Speedwell, perhaps because they are available in a variety of heights and come in such a wide range of tones, from deepest violet to lightest gentian. Most will reward your efforts to keep them dead-headed by producing a continuous sequence of blooms over a long period of time. An added bonus is that there is no shortage of well-known perennials to match to every type.

Veronica alpina 'Goodness Grows': royal purple, to 12"x12-18"

combined with:  Hemerocallis 'Stella d'Oro', Achillea 'Salmon Beauty', Lilium (burgundy) & Shasta Daisy

with bulbs:  Crocus, Allium moly
beside:  Papaver orientale
with:  Dianthus, Heuchera, Hemerocallis, Geranium, Coreopsis, Platycodon, Ornamental Grasses
in front of:  Perovskia atriplicifolia
combined with:  Artemisia 'Silver Brocade', Dianthus 'Tiny Rubies', Dianthus deltoides 'Albus'
also combined with:  Thymus serphyllum 'Coccineum' & Geranium sanguineum

combined with:  pink Tulipa, pink Dicentra, Bellis perennis
combined with:  yellow Tulipa, white Dicentra, Myosotis
with:  Coreopsis, Asclepias, Achillea, Geranium, Hemerocallis, Ornamental Grasses

over bulbs:  Crocus
with:  Veronica longifolia 'Icicle'
beside:  Dianthus, Heuchera sanguinea

note:  follow the link for a profile of Veronica grandis 'Sunny Border Blue'
generally with:  yellow, pink and white-flowered plants
with:  Hemerocallis (fruit shades such as peach, lemon, apricot, orange or plum)
behind:  Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'
beside:  Eryngium spp
near:  lemon-yellow Achillea x 'Moonshine' or hybrid Achillea (buff, rose or scarlet)
combined with:  Lythrum virgatum'Morden Pink' & Hemerocallis 'Lavender Tonic'

synonym :  V. incana spp. incana
generally with:  pink June-blooming flowers
over bulbs:  Crocus
with:  Heuchera sanguinea (pink), Lavatera 'Mont Blanc'
behind:  Santolina chamaecyparissus
in front of:  Caryopteris clandonensis
combined in front of:  Hemerocallis 'Mme Bellum' & Achillea x taygetea

discovered in the Republic of Georgia;  foliage turns glossy purple in winter
this plant attracts butterflies
for early bloom with:  daffodils

over bulbs: species Crocus, small species Narcissus and Tulipa

over bulbs:  Crocus
with other Veronicas:   Veronica spicata 'Red Fox', 'Blue Peter', 'Blue Charm' or 'Icicle'
beside:  Dianthus, Heuchera sanguinea

with:  Achillea, Nepeta, Oenothera, Ornamental Grasses
for contrast with:  arching Hemerocallis

synonym:  Veronicastrum virginicum
generally with:  white & blue perennials
with foliage plants:  Hosta, Ornamental Grasses
with:  Phlox paniculata, Hemerocallis, Aconitum, Helenium, Rudbeckia

above bulbs:  Tulipa (peachy), Allium aflatunense
with:  Intermediate Iris (lemon-yellow)

TO RETURN TO PURPLE PERENNIALS & THEIR COMPANIONS - 1, FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW.

• Aconitum to Liatris

All of our own Gardens By The Bay pages can be accessed by clicking on the links below.

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COLOR THEORY

THE GARDENS

CORNER GARDEN CONSTRUCTION  |  CORNER GARDEN PLANTING  |  LONG GARDEN

EAST GARDEN  |  HOSTA GARDEN  |  NORTH GARDEN  |  WINTER GARDENS

PLANT PARTNERSHIPS

BLUE PERENNIALS    Aconitum - Geranium  |  Iris - Vinca

BULBS    Allium - Hyacinthus  |  Narcissus only  |  Tulipa only  |  Minor Bulbs

BUTTERFLY MAGNETS    Anaphalis - Hemerocallis  |  Liatris - Veronicastrum
DAYLILIES      Spider & Unusual Form

EDGERS    Arabis - Iris  |  Nepeta - Veronica

FOLIAGE PERENNIALS     Alchemilla - Tanacetum

HOSTA    Hosta - all

HUMMINGBIRD-FRIENDLY PERENNIALS    Alcea - Salvia

ORANGE PERENNIALS    Achillea - Tulipa

ORNAMENTAL GRASSES    Acorus - Imperata |  Miscanthus - Spodiopogon

PINK PERENNIALS    Achillea - Lilium  |  Lychnis - Veronica

PURPLE PERENNIALS    Aconitum - Liatris  |  Polemonium - Veronica

RED PERENNIALS    Achillea - Veronica

SHADE PERENNIALS    Aegopodium - Erythronium  |  Ferns - Polemonium  |  Polygonatum - Vinca

SILVER FOLIAGE PERENNIALS    Achillea - Cerastium    |    Cornus - Limonium    |    Lunaria - Veronica

SIMPLY SPECIAL PERENNIALS    Acanthus - Saxifraga

WHITE PERENNIALS    Achillea - Iris  |  Kalimeris - Yucca

YELLOW PERENNIALS    Achillea - Hypericum  |  Inula - Verbascum

VARIEGATED-FOLIAGE PERENNIALS    Acorus - Erythronium  |  Hakonechloa - Lysimachia  |  Miscanthus - Yucca

PLANT PROFILES

Dianthus 'Tiny Rubies'  |  Geranium  |  Geum coccineum  |  Kerria japonica  |  Knautia macedonica

Paeonia tenuifolia  |  Papaver somniferum  |  Rudbeckia  |  Salvia 'East Friesland'

Trollius  |  Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'

PROPAGATION

DIVISION - SPRING ONLY  |   DIVISION - FALL ONLY  |   DIVISION - SPRING OR FALL  |   DO NOT DIVIDE

FERTILIZATION

BULBS  |   ORNAMENTAL GRASSES  |   PERENNIALS  |   SHRUBS  |   VINES

LINKS

GARDENS  |   LOCAL GARDENS  |   BOTANICAL TERMINOLOGY

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