Add Vibrant Purple Flowers to Your Garden This Spring

After a long winter, we all look forward to the first signs of spring. As the weather warms purple flowering plants are some of the earliest harbingers of the new season. Unlike many plants that start with pastel hues, purple blooms make a bold statement right from the start. From deep royal purple to light lavender these flowers pack a punch of color when you need it most.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the best purple flowering plants to welcome spring Whether you want showy blooms or delicate flowers, there are plenty of options to give your garden that first infusion of color.

Top Purple Spring Bloomers

Here are some of the top purple flowers that bloom in early spring

Vibrant Purple Irises

One of the most popular purple spring flowers is the tall bearded iris. These perennials grow sword-like foliage and bloom with frilly, purple flowers ranging from pale lavender to deep violet. Some top varieties include ‘Superstition’, ‘Dracula’s Shadow’, and ‘Sultan’s Palace’. Plant iris rhizomes in fall for blooms starting in early spring.

Fragrant Lilacs

The wonderfully fragrant blooms of lilac shrubs are a quintessential sign of spring. From common lilac Syringa vulgaris to smaller types like dwarf Korean lilac, these plants flower in shades from mauve to deep purple in late spring. Prune immediately after blooms fade.

Vivid Hyacinths

Dutch hyacinths produce clustered blooms packed with sweet fragrance. Popular purple varieties include ‘Amethyst’, ‘Blue Jacket’, and ‘Delft Blue’. Plant bulbs in fall for flowers in early to mid-spring. Hyacinths also make gorgeous cut flowers.

Cheery Tulips

Nothing says spring like a tulip! These classic bulbs come in a huge range of colors and bloom styles. Look for purple cultivars like ‘Peppermint Stick’, ‘Queen of the Night’, or ‘Pretty Princess’ for a dose of vivid color. Plant bulbs in fall for spring flowering.

Vibrant Purple Crocuses

Dainty crocus blooms are some of the earliest flowers to emerge in late winter. For purple shades, look for Crocus tommasinianus varieties like ‘Ruby Giant’, ‘Barr’s Purple’, or ‘Zwanenburg Bronze’ crocus. Let these bulbs naturalize for a carpet of color.

Delicate Grape Hyacinths

Closely related to true hyacinths, grape hyacinths produce clusters of tiny bell-shaped blooms in shades like ‘Valerie Finnis’ and ‘Dark Eyes’. Let them self-seed freely for waves of color in early spring before most perennials emerge.

Vivid Siberian Squill

Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) offers vivid purple-blue starry flowers on short stalks in early spring. ‘Spring Beauty’ is an especially beautiful variety. Allow these minor bulbs to naturalize for a colorful spring display.

Cheerful Pansies

Few flowers capture the spirit of spring like happy little pansies. Their faces come in a rainbow of colors, including many purple varieties. They provide instant color when planted in early spring and tolerate some frost.

More Fabulous Purple Spring Blooms

Beyond the most common early bloomers, there are so many more plants that can provide a dose of purple in your spring garden. Here are a few more favorites:

• Anemones – Pop of color with Anemone coronaria varieties like the deep purple ‘Mister Fokker’ or lighter ‘Blue Poppy’.

• Pasque flowers – These silky blooms resemble tiny tulips. Go for Pulsatilla vulgaris which has purple flowers.

• Hellebores – Also called Lenten roses, these early bloomers come in lovely colors like plum and amethyst.

• English lavender – Fragrant purple spikes start emerging on this herb as early as spring in some zones.

• Bellflowers – Try Campanula ‘Birch Hybrid’ for long tubes of light purple flowers starting in early spring.

• Lamium – Also known as deadnettle, Lamium maculatum adds groundcover with light purple blooms.

• Geranium – Hardy geraniums like ‘Rozanne’ and ‘Orion’ produce mounds of light purple flowers starting in spring.

• Viola – Beyond just pansies, violas offer delicate purple, lavender, and blue blooms early on.

• Ajuga reptans – For shade, try this blue-flowered carpeting perennial known as bugleweed.

Designing With Purple Spring Flowers

When planning out your spring garden, keep these design tips in mind:

• Combine different shades of purple flowers for depth and interest. Light purple pansies paired with deep purple hyacinths is a classic combo.

• Purple blooms pop when surrounded by cool greens like emerging hostas, ferns, and ornamental grasses.

• For impact, mass plant groupings of one type of flower like purple crocus or tulips.

• Weave spring bulbs like crocus, hyacinths and squill throughout perennial beds. Foliage will later hide dying foliage.

• Use purple flowering shrubs like lilac as anchor plants mixed with bulbs and perennials.

No matter what types of purple blooms you choose, they are sure to brighten up your landscape after a long winter. Embrace these early splashes of color as signs of the vibrant spring to come.