Purples & Blues

For late-spring theatre with a decidedly dark mood, Tulipa 'Black Parrot' delivers in impeccable style. The richly frilled, parrot-formed blooms open in sumptuous deep purple, reading almost black at the centre, and sit beautifully against grey-green foliage. Planted in generous drifts, it brings a sophisticated edge to borders and makes an indulgent centrepiece in large pots by the door.

• Colour: Deep purple, near-black
• Flowering: April–May
• Height: 50cm
• Position: Full sun; sheltered
• Ideal for: Borders, containers

Muscari 'Valerie Finnis' is a rather distinguished grape hyacinth, producing dense, pale blue flower spikes from early to mid-spring. It is particularly handsome when planted in generous drifts, allowed to naturalise through grass, or threaded neatly along the front of a border for a calm, tonal effect.

With a tidy, clump-forming habit and fresh green foliage, it suits both classic garden schemes and contemporary planting alike. For the most refined finish, combine with early narcissus, species tulips, or white spring flowers and let the soft blue do the rest.

• Colour: Pale blue
• Flowering: March–May
• Height: 25cm
• Spread: 10cm
• Best in: borders, containers, naturalising

Allium ampeloprasum is a wonderfully statuesque allium, prized for its papery buds opening into rounded, lilac-toned globes held aloft on tall, steady stems. Rising cleanly above broad, grey-green foliage, it brings an assured sense of height and structure from late spring into early summer—particularly handsome woven through mixed borders and naturalistic planting.

It also makes a refined cut flower: allow a few stems to open fully for a soft, architectural note indoors, while leaving plenty in the garden for visiting pollinators.

• Elegant, architectural flowerheads in pale pink-lilac and white
• Excellent height for adding lift through borders and meadow-style schemes
• Pollinator friendly and deer resistant
• Fully hardy and pleasingly low-fuss in well-drained ground

Supplied as autumn-planting bulbs.

Allium unifolium 'Eros' is a beautifully refined, compact allium, prized for its domed heads of pinkish-lilac, starry florets held neatly above grey-green foliage. At a modest height, it slips effortlessly into the front of a sunny border, and is equally at home in smart pots where its tidy habit can be properly admired.

Flowering in late spring, it brings a poised lift and gentle colour that partners elegantly with tulips, forget-me-nots and early grasses, while offering welcome interest for pollinators.

• Colour: pinkish-lilac
• Height: 35cm
• Flowering: May–June
• Best in: pots & containers; sunny borders

Allium 'Ambassador' is a quietly dramatic choice for early-summer structure—generous, rich purple flower globes held aloft on tall stems, rising elegantly above neat green foliage. Planted in autumn, it returns as a reliable perennial, lending height and poise to borders and looking particularly accomplished weaving through perennials and ornamental grasses.

• Colour & form: rich purple, perfectly rounded globe heads
• Where it excels: borders, pots and containers, naturalising, and cutting for the vase
• Garden allies: pollinator friendly and noted as deer resistant
• Planting season: autumn planting for flowers in early summer

Choose a sunny, well-drained position and allow space for those impressive stems to stand with confidence. Whether dotted through a mixed border or repeated in a considered drift, 'Ambassador' delivers a refined, architectural finish just when the garden begins to gather pace.

Tulipa ‘Blue Parrot’ is a wonderfully theatrical parrot tulip, prized for its richly violet-purple colouring and extravagantly ruffled, feathered petals. In late spring it brings a confident, couture flourish to borders and generous pots, and it cuts beautifully for opulent, characterful arrangements.

Plant in autumn and give it a sheltered position for the finest stems and blooms. A simple way to add drama to classic spring planting schemes—especially alongside soft creams, inky purples, or fresh spring greens.

Why you’ll love it

• Striking parrot-form flowers with ruffled, fringed detail
• Rich violet-purple tones for a sophisticated spring palette
• Ideal for borders, containers, and cutting
• Fully hardy and refreshingly easy to grow

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English bluebells (Hyacinthoides non‑scripta) create one of the most recognisable spring displays: arching stems lined with fragrant, bell‑shaped blooms in deep, woodland blue. They’re a lovely way to bring a natural, British feel to gardens and wild corners.

They’re ideal for naturalising beneath deciduous trees, along shady hedgerows, or at the edge of a border where the soil stays cool. In the right spot, bulbs will spread steadily and form a beautiful carpet over time, returning reliably each spring and filling gaps before summer perennials wake up.

Bluebells prefer humus‑rich, moderately fertile soil that drains well but doesn’t dry out. If your soil is heavy or very sandy, improve it with leaf mould or compost to boost structure and moisture retention, and choose partial shade to keep the ground from baking.

Plant bulbs in autumn about 8cm deep and 8–10cm apart. Leave them undisturbed once planted—bluebells bulk up best when they’re allowed to settle and multiply in place, creating thicker clumps and more flower stems each year.

After flowering, let the foliage die back naturally to feed the bulbs for next year. Bluebells can spread in favourable conditions, so choose a planting area where you’re happy for them to roam and mingle, especially in woodland-style planting, alongside ferns and other shade lovers.

Camassia ‘Esculenta Quamash’ is a wonderfully graceful bulb for late spring, sending up refined spires of star-shaped violet-blue flowers above fresh, strap-like green foliage. It lends an effortless, natural air to meadow-style planting, relaxed borders, and lightly wild corners—particularly lovely woven through ornamental grasses and other naturalising favourites.

Dependable, fully hardy, and easy to grow, it settles in quickly and returns year after year, forming neat clumps that look increasingly assured with each season.

Why you’ll love it

• Starry violet-blue blooms held on elegant, upright stems
• Ideal for naturalising, informal drifts, and airy border planting
• Pollinator friendly, with flowers that are welcome in spring gardens
• Excellent structure for cutting gardens, with a poised, long-stemmed look

Planting notes

Plant in autumn for spring flowering. Choose a position in full sun or partial sun, in moist but well-drained loam. For a relaxed, meadow-like effect, plant in generous groups and allow the clumps to build over time.

Allium caeruleum azureum is a most refined choice for late spring into early summer, sending up slim, upright stems topped with perfectly rounded, sapphire-blue flower heads. Each globe is composed of neat, starry florets—wonderfully crisp in modern gravel schemes, yet equally at home threaded through a softly planted border.

Particularly useful where winter soils can sit wet: plant in pots or raised pockets of free-draining compost and let the colour float above emerging perennials. A quietly architectural allium, and a fine companion for roses and shrubs where its cool blue reads as an elegant foil.

• Colour with poise: vivid blue globes for a clean, contemporary lift
• Border and container friendly: excellent in pots where heavy ground can be troublesome
• Wildlife-wise planting: pollinator friendly, with deer resistance

Anemone coronaria 'Mistral Bordeaux' (Mistral Series) brings a deliciously rich, bordeaux-toned flourish to early spring, with poised, single blooms held above fresh mid‑green foliage. Elegant in pots by the front door, quietly confident through the border, and particularly fine for cutting, this is a refined choice for gardeners who favour depth of colour and a well-mannered silhouette.

Plant the corms in autumn for spring interest; in colder pockets, a sheltered position will help this half-hardy anemone perform at its best.

• Colour: deep magenta‑purple
• Flowering: March–May
• Height: 25–30cm
• Spread: 10–15cm
• Type: corm (single)

Crocus chrysanthus 'Blue Bird' is a quietly exquisite early-spring crocus: pristine white, goblet-shaped flowers with confident violet streaking to the outer petals, finished with a neat yellow eye. It slips beautifully through lawns and gravel, and is just as poised at the very front of a border or in small pots by the door.

Compact and clump-forming, it returns year after year and is especially charming when planted generously for a natural, painterly effect.

• Flower colour: White with pale purple and yellow accents
• Form: Goblet
• Best for: Lawns & naturalising, rockeries & gravel, borders & beds, pots & containers
• Pollinator friendly: Yes
• Growing skill: Easy

Crocus vernus 'Grand Maitre' is an early spring classic, opening in rich lilac-purple with a deeper purple base and a warm golden centre. It is precisely the sort of small luxury that makes March feel optimistic again—especially when planted in generous drifts through grass, or displayed in pots by the front door where it can be enjoyed at close quarters.

These large-flowering crocus are naturally neat and well-mannered, forming tidy clumps and returning year after year. Plant in autumn and allow them to settle; by their second season they reward with a more confident show.

• Colour: Purple with yellow centre
• Best for: Naturalising in lawns, pots & containers, rockeries and the very front of the border
• Pollinator friendly: Yes

Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’ is a small treasure for the earliest weeks of spring, bringing jewel-toned blooms when the garden is still politely waking up. Neat, clump-forming and wonderfully well-suited to close viewing, it is particularly handsome threaded through gravel, tucked into alpine pockets, or arranged in pots by the door for a refined seasonal welcome.

Plant in autumn and allow these diminutive bulbs to settle in; come late winter into early spring, ‘Harmony’ rewards with crisp violet-blue flowers, lifted and brightened by yellow and white accents. The effect is quietly dramatic, yet entirely elegant—especially when planted in generous drifts.

• Colour: Violet-blue with yellow and white accents
• Flowering: February–April
• Height: 10–15cm
• Ideal for: Pots & containers, rock gardens & alpines, naturalising, front of borders
• Helpful features: Pollinator friendly, deer resistant

Ranunculus ‘Elegance Milka’ is a particularly refined choice for spring—bearing richly coloured, double purple blooms held above neat, mid-green foliage. It’s a beautiful option for pots and sheltered borders, and a dependable performer for cutting when you’d like something elegant and saturated in tone.

Plant in autumn and you can look forward to flowering from April through June, with tidy, clump-forming growth that sits comfortably in mixed containers or a well-drained bed.

• Colour: Purple
• Flower form: Double
• Ideal for: Pots & containers; cut flowers
• Season of interest: Spring flowering (April–June)
• Height & spread: 40–60cm x 20–30cm

Tulipa 'Black Hero' is a wonderfully theatrical Double Late tulip, bearing fully double, peony-flowered blooms in a glossy, near-black reddish-purple. In late spring it brings instant gravitas to pots by the front door, as well as richly toned borders where its dark colour reads as a sophisticated neutral.

Strong, upright stems reach around 60cm, making it an excellent choice for cutting—particularly effective in elegant, monochrome arrangements or paired with creams, soft pinks and fresh spring greens.

• Double Late, peony-flowered tulip in sumptuous near-black tones
• Ideal for containers, borders and cutting
• Plant in autumn for flowering in April–May
• Best in a sheltered position in fertile, well-drained soil

Fritillaria persica 'Adiyaman' is a wonderfully architectural spring bulb, sending up poised, upright stems lined with slender green foliage and finished with a refined spire of nodding, bell-shaped blooms. The colouring sits in the deepest purple-brown, reading almost black in certain light—quietly dramatic, and effortlessly sophisticated.

Plant through autumn for a statement in mixed borders, gravelly schemes, and naturalistic planting where its vertical form brings a sense of intention. Equally handsome in large containers in a sheltered courtyard position, where the flowers can be admired up close.

• Colour: Deep purple (near-black)
• Flower shape: Bell-shaped, nodding
• Height: 50–100cm
• Ideal for: Borders, containers, courtyard gardens, naturalising

Anemone blanda 'Blue Shades' is a quietly enchanting little anemone, sending up clear violet-blue, daisy-like flowers just above neat, dark green foliage in early spring. Low-growing and beautifully natural in character, it is particularly lovely in informal drifts beneath deciduous shrubs, along woodland margins, or nestled into pots by the front door where the first colour of the year is most appreciated.

Plant the corms in autumn into humus-rich, well-drained soil and allow them to settle in; in their first season they establish quickly and then return each spring with increasing charm. An excellent choice for underplanting and gentle, pollinator-friendly planting schemes.

• Colour: Violet-blue
• Flowering: March–April
• Height: 15cm
• Planting time: September–December
• Where to plant: Borders, woodland margins, under deciduous shrubs, containers

Camassia leichtlinii ‘Blue Candle’ brings a poised, architectural note to late spring: upright spires of clear blue flowers rising cleanly above fresh green foliage. It is particularly handsome threaded through grass, in meadow-style planting, or drifting between late tulips for a natural, unforced elegance.

Plant in autumn and allow it to settle in; once established, it returns faithfully each year, forming neat clumps that look as though they have always belonged. Equally charming in the border and surprisingly refined in a vase.

• Flowering: April–May
• Height: 60–85cm
• Bulb size supplied: 14/+
• Position: Borders, meadow planting, grass, cut flower garden
• Best for: Naturalising, borders, meadow-style planting, cutting

Iris hollandica 'Purple Sensation' is a Dutch iris of impeccable poise, producing richly purple blooms neatly highlighted with sunny yellow markings. Rising above slender, bright green foliage on elegant stems, it brings a crisp, contemporary note to spring borders and is equally accomplished in pots.

It is also a superb choice for cutting—refined in a vase, and effortlessly smart when gathered into simple, tailored arrangements.

• Colour: Deep purple with yellow markings
• Flowering: May–June
• Height: 60cm
• Bulb size supplied: 7/8
• Position: Full sun; sheltered spot preferred
• Best for: Cutting, containers, borders and naturalising

Delightfully early and wonderfully natural in spirit, Chionodoxa forbesii 'Blue Giant' (now placed within Scilla) brings a crisp drift of starry blue blooms, each finished with a neat white eye. It sits prettily above fresh green foliage, lighting up borders, gravel gardens and the edges of lawns just as winter begins to loosen its hold.

Plant in autumn and allow it to settle in quietly; in the right place it will look increasingly at home year after year. Particularly charming threaded through meadow grass, beneath shrubs, or in containers near the doorstep where those first flowers are best appreciated.

• Colour: blue with white centres
• Style: star-shaped flowers, naturally elegant in informal plantings
• Best for: naturalising in lawns & meadow grass, gravel and rock gardens, underplanting shrubs and roses
• Pollinator friendly: yes

For a quietly enchanting start to spring, Chionodoxa forbesii brings neat, starry flowers in an intense blue, each one finished with a crisp white eye. Small in stature yet wonderfully effective, it settles into clumps over time and is particularly handsome when allowed to naturalise—threaded through short grass, tucked into gravel, or dotted along the very front of the border.

Plant in autumn and look forward to a refined haze of early colour from March into April. It is equally charming in containers, where the clear blue reads as distinctly fresh against stone, terracotta, and evergreen foliage.

• Colour: Intense blue with a clear white eye
• Flowering: March–April
• Height (established): 15cm
• Spread: 10cm
• Habit: Clump-forming perennial bulb
• Best for: Naturalising, gravel gardens, containers, underplanting

Crocus 'Aqua' is a refined, early-spring crocus in violet-purple with warm orange centres—just the thing for threading through lawns, gravel and the very front of the border when the garden is beginning to stir again.

Neat, goblet-shaped blooms sit above green foliage marked with a silvery stripe, forming tidy clumps that look particularly smart in pots by the door, scattered through a rockery, or allowed to naturalise beneath deciduous trees.

• Colour: Violet-purple with orange centers
• Best for: Naturalising in lawns, rockery & gravel gardens, pots & containers, and front-of-border detail
• Season: Plant in autumn for flowers from late winter into spring
• Growing level: Easy, fully hardy, and reliably perennial

Cyclamen coum is the sort of quietly exquisite plant that earns its keep when the garden feels at its most spare. Nestled low to the ground, it forms neat, clump-forming colonies of rounded, dark green leaves, often handsomely silver-marbled, followed by nodding, starry flowers in pink to purple-pink from mid-winter into early spring.

Superb for naturalising in a woodland-style setting, tucking beneath shrubs, or bringing a little refinement to pots by the door. Given a sheltered position in dappled shade and reliably well-drained soil, it will return each year with increasing presence.

• Season of interest: late winter to early spring
• Perfect for: naturalising, woodland gardens, underplanting shrubs, pots & containers
• Foliage: rounded green leaves, often silver-marbled
• Flower colour: pink to purple-pink (mixed shades)

Chionodoxa luciliae ‘Violet Beauty’ is a most refined little bulb for early spring, sending up neat green leaves followed by starry, pale violet flowers, each softly brightened by a lighter centre. It is particularly lovely naturalised through grass, tucked into gravel, or threaded at the front of borders where its colour reads as a gentle wash rather than a shout.

• Colour: Violet-purple flowers with pale/white centres
• Flowering: March–April
• Height: 15cm
• Habit: Clump-forming; ideal for naturalising
• Best placed: Borders, rockeries, gravel gardens, lawns (naturalising), under shrubs

Plant in autumn and allow it time to settle; within a couple of seasons it will look increasingly assured, returning faithfully and pairing beautifully with early crocus, miniature narcissus and the first primroses.

Iris 'Blue Planet' (Reticulata) is a small treasure for the late-winter garden—soft, pastel-blue flowers neatly finished with a golden-yellow stripe, held above fine grey-green foliage. Compact and well-mannered, it slips beautifully into pots, gravel gardens and sunny edges, and will also naturalise with quiet ease where drainage is sharp.

Plant in autumn and look forward to a crisp, bright flourish from February to March. For the most refined display, tuck bulbs into a sheltered, sunny spot—especially welcome where winter colour is prized at close quarters near paths, steps and terraces.

• Perfect for: containers, rockeries & gravel gardens, naturalising
• Flowering: February–March
• Character: pastel-blue with yellow markings; charmingly miniature