Bring your love for lavender (the color) to your outdoors without limiting yourself to lavender (the plant). These selections in various shades of the pale purple hue add a touch of elegance and tranquility suitable for any type of garden.

Violet’s Pride Rose  

(Rosa ‘Violet’s Pride’)
• Perennial • Late spring to fall; pale violet • 24″-42″H by 36″-48″W • Well-drained soil • Zones 5-10 n Full to partial sun • Medium water; medium maintenance • Attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds

This delicately hued floribunda rose was introduced in 2017 and produces medium to large 3- to 4-inch flowers. The prolific bloomer features dense, rounded foliage, disease resistance and a highly fragrant grapefruitlike scent.
WHY WE LIKE IT: ‘Violet’s Pride’ was named after the popular Downton Abbey character, Lady Violet, known for her fondness for wearing lavender dresses. Lavender roses are said to symbolize love at first sight. To add multiple hues of lavender to your rose garden, consider planting the cooler-toned ‘Violet’s Pride’ alongside the warmer tones of Rosa ‘Angel Face.’

Chinese Wisteria 

(Wisteria sinensis)
• Perennial vine • Spring; lavender • 10′-25’H by 4′-8’W • Moist, well-drained soil • Zones 5-9 • Full or partial sun • Medium water; medium maintenance • Attracts butterflies

A flowering plant in the pea family, Chinese wisteria is a deciduous vine native to parts of China and is considered toxic to both people and pets if ingested. While it can be considered invasive outdoors in some areas, it can also be grown indoors in bonsai form up to 2 feet tall.
WHY WE LIKE IT: Best grown on fences, arbors or pergolas, this fast-growing climbing vine features cascades of fragrant and showy, lavender pea-like flowers. Wisteria of all varieties are ideal additions to Asian or Zen gardens, as well as cottage or Mediterranean-style gardens.

Fetid or Stinking Passionflower 

(Passiflora foetida)
• Perennial vine • Summer to fall; multicolored • 12′-15’H by 4′-6’W • Well-drained soil • Zones 8A-10B • Full to partial sun • Low water; low maintenance • Attracts bees, birds, butterflies

Also known as love-in-a-mist, this climbing vine is called “stinking passionflower” due to its strong aroma emitted when foliage is crushed; foetida is Latin for “stinking.” This species is native to the Southwestern United States and as far south as parts of Southern America. Its fruits are edible.
WHY WE LIKE IT: Because it’s both a larval host and nectar source to the Gulf fritillary butterfly, this is an excellent addition to butterfly gardens with its complex ornamental flowers. To complement the pale lavender hues of P. foetida, add darker purple varieties to your butterfly garden with P. incarnata or P. ‘Lavender Lady.’

Lisianthus  

(Eustoma grandiflorum)
• Annual or perennial • Summer to fall; multiple colors • 1′-3’H by 6″-12″W • Moist, well-drained soil • Zones 8-10 • Full sun • Medium water; medium maintenance • Attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds

This drought-tolerant plant is native to ditches and grasslands in western states, with thick, waxy foliage to preserve moisture. Whether grown as an annual in all zones, or a perennial in warmer zones, lisianthus performs best with regular fertilization.
WHY WE LIKE IT: Lisianthus are favored by floral designers as cut flowers, not only for their beauty and elegance, but also for their ability to last up to two weeks in arrangements. Resembling tea roses, lisianthus are available in lavender, pink, white, plus bicolor combinations and are ideal for container gardens.