Planting seems to be going through a purple patch
AWARD-WINNING TV garden designer brothers Harry and David Rich, presenters of BBC1’s Garden Rescue, tell Hannah Stephenson that purple is among the coolest colours on the block.
Harry explains: “Purple is fashionable because it is quite prominent and gives you a lovely depth in the garden but isn’t too garish. It can be easily blended with other plants.
“The first thing to consider is the aspect,” says David. “You need to choose the right plants for the right position. Plenty of plants will tolerate shade, such as wild geranium, but in a sunnier spot you could have perovskia (Russian sage) or lavender.”
Use purple foliage from plants such as Sambucus nigra, which has a very deep purple leaf and a soft pink flower, with softer, lighter purple hues.
Play around with the contrasts of the two purples to emphasise the light colour against the deeper tone.
“The colour doesn’t stop at ground level. You can elevate the colour by using shrubs such as syringa (lilac) with its beautiful plumes of purple flowers,” says David.
“There’s a growing trend of using shrubs in the garden because they provide loads of interest and many of them require much less maintenance than ground-level perennials.
Alliums have been among gardeners’ favourites for more than a decade and are still fashionable, although some of the smaller ones are becoming more popular, compared with the huge varieties, says David.
Alliums make good partners for grasses, which have height and movement and hide the fading straggly leaves of the allium before it flowers. Grasses create a muted scheme below the allium flowers. Plant cow parsley as well and that will add shape and colour.
Contrast is good, too, say the brothers, suggesting combining purple plants with orange-hued achilleas, geum and trollius. Crocosmia also make good companions as their shades run from orange, to yellow, to red.
For a gentler scheme, combine different shades of purple in your border, perhaps with creams to soften the tone.