The Power of Purple
by Tom Hewitt
Light purples and pinks recede, making a garden appear larger and more restful. Photo by Tom Hewitt
One of my favorite songs is Deep Purple, which I remember from the early 60s. Although I never thought about it at the time, “when the deep purple falls over sleepy garden walls” hits pretty close to the truth. Purple is one of the first colors to recede at dusk, especially when viewed from a distance. But during the day it adds a special quality to a garden that no other color can match.
Purple symbolizes royalty and deep passion. In fact, it’s impossible to walk by purple flowers and not be moved in some way. Though considered a cool color on the color wheel, purple is hot in gardening today. So many colors go with it that many designers are calling it the new neutral.
Deep purple is best appreciated up close, making it perfect for containers. It adds visual weight to lighter arrangements and makes a bold statement in the mixed border. I think of deep purple flowers as classy exclamation points!
Purple is such an emotion-stirring color that a little goes a long way. But combining various shades of purple creates a rich look and keeps an arrangement from appearing too somber.
Jim Bixler plants and maintains some 200 pots in Old Naples. Photo by Tom Hewitt
Purple gives dignity and depth to most any combo, says horticulturist Jim Bixler of Naples. Bixler is responsible for designing and maintaining some 200 pots in historic Old Naples, a high-end shopping district. He also designs dozens of hanging baskets and window boxes, as well as plantings in common areas that help tie everything together.
Purple foliage and flowers give dignity and depth to any grouping. Photo by Tom Hewitt
Bixler doesn’t want his creations competing with the architecture of Old Naples, so he chooses colors carefully. He avoids true reds, which he considers harsh, but often uses those that lean towards purple, like magenta and fuchsia. Purple covers a wide spectrum, he notes, and contains a shade for every mood.
Reddish-purples are both warm and vibrant, while bluish-purples are cool and subdued. Some flowers, like violas, pansies and torenias can actually include several different shades of purple, making them suitable for both warm and cool compositions.
For a subtle look, Bixler sticks with analogous combos, or those adjacent to one another on the color wheel. When he wants more drama, he pairs complementary colors, or those directly opposite. Violet calibrachoas and chartreuse ‘Marguerite’ sweet potato vine is one of his favorite combos. So is blue lobelia mixed with pale yellow petunias.
When using complementary colors, keep color intensity in mind. For maximum impact, be sure to contrast a bright shade of one color with an equally bright shade of another. Pale yellow and lavender work great for a subdued arrangement, but a pairing of dark purple and pale yellow doesn’t do either color justice. Don’t forget to factor in the color of your container. Yellow flowers in a blue pot is an automatic complementary composition. Some flowers have contrast built in, like purple pansies with bright yellow faces.
Purple and orange is a vibrant combo. Photo by Tom Hewitt
The further you stray from true purple on the hot side, the more vibrant your combos will become. The analogous range for red-purple is red-orange, so that gives you a wide range of hot colors from which to choose. Conversely, the closer you stick to true purple, the more restful your combos will appear. This is especially true when mixing blues and purples, as one will often bring out hidden subtleties in the other.
Deep purple is best appreciated up close, but can make a bold statement. Photo by Tom Hewitt
Cool colors, like blues and light purples, tend to recede in the landscape. Violet or lavender flowers actually help make a small garden seem larger, and when placed in the distance, make a shallow garden look deeper. They also make a garden appear more restful. Use light purples in shade and dark purples in full sun. Don’t use deep purples in shady gardens unless you back them with light colors or white to make them stand out.
Purple flowers pair well with plants with silver or gray foliage, like lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina), dusty miller, licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare), artemisias and woolly thyme. Many purple-flowering plants have gray foliage themselves, including lavenders, buddleias, catmint, Russian sage and Mexican bush sage. And
don’t overlook plants with purple foliage, like Persian shield, ‘Midnight’ coleus, ‘Black Pearl’ pepper and purple heart (Tradescantia pallida). They can be a big help in containers when flowers are scarce.
Tom Hewitt is a garden designer and consultant from West Palm Beach.
© 2013 Tom Hewitt. Originally published in Florida Gardening, Apr / May 2013. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Purple Basics
Red-purples advance in the landscape; blue-purples recede.
A mix of purples can make for a restful combo, but be sure to provide enough contrast.
When pairing purples with complementary colors, keep color intensity in mind.
Pair silver or gray foliage with purple flowers for a softer look.
Use light purples in shade; dark purples in full sun.
In containers, use plants with purple foliage, like Persian shield, coleus and purple heart.
In shade, back deep purples with light colors or white to make them stand out.
Purple is best used as an accent, as a little goes a long way.