Purple was once reserved for royalty. Only kings and queens could wear the color. Now, we can clothe our gardens as well as ourselves in this regal shade.

I remember one of the questions we were asked when we were studying to become Master Gardeners: "Do you like the combination of red and purple?" This wasn’t a test, the instructor was just curious.

She thought that the more artistic the person, the more likely they would be to appreciate combinations of red and purple. Well, since I would love to be thought of as artistic, I came to really like this combo, even though it wasn’t a favorite at the time.

Maybe it has more to do with a person’s age than their ability to put together ‘different’ combinations. After all, the Red Hat Ladies have proliferated around the country wearing just such a red and purple mixture.

This question got me wondering about the color combinations in my garden and in the wilds where no human gardener takes part. Wildflower gardens are just as pleasing to the eye as any cultivated areas. With no human intervention, seeds are scattered by the wind and nestle together in a happy jumble.

So, don’t you be afraid to put colors side by side that don’t quite fit the color wheel. Nature does it all the time. Wayside Gardens has done it, too, putting together purple and red in a special section.

Hemerocallis 'Jungle Beauty' I don’t know what the Jungle refers to, but this is a beautiful purple-black daylily with a bold yellow center. USDA Zones 3-8.

Nepeta x 'Joanna Reed' A deep purple catmint, deeper than most, blooms in summer. Cut it back after its first flush of flowers for more blossoms in fall. USDA Zones 4-8.

Clematis x 'Jackmanii' Jackmani is probably the oldest clematis in gardens. You don’t need a trellis. Let it wander on the ground through the daylilies and catmint where it will throw out its huge purple flowers. USDA Zones 4-9.

Iris x germanica 'Diabolique' Toss this deep purple German iris into the mix and you will have a pleasing combination of foliage as well as flowers. USDA Zones 3-9.

No self-respecting northern garden should be without lilacs. Not only does the Adelaide Dunbar selection cover herself with lavender flowers, she adds to the purple and red mix by clothing herself in springtime red foliage. Syringa vulgaris 'Adelaide Dunbar'. USDA Zones 3-7.

So go ahead, pick your favorites, and plant them side by side. You can claim the artist in you made you do it.

---Posted by Anne K Moore, October 27, 2008---