cottage garden border- low purple plant needed for front of border-

[badasscafe1]

any suggestions? is actually border across the front of my house so not very deep but quite long- have lots of pinks and reds in there, and purple alliums- so thinking some purple along front would be nice. requirements are - must be perennial, gets half sun (afternoon) and tendency to be dry but I do water as much as I can. many thanks

should be purple flower needed! foliage doesn't need to be purple!

Tendency to be dry would suit a lavender very well.

Geraniums are lovely. I don't mean pelargoniums !
They come back every year and need very little maintenance.
There's lots of nice purple ones.

I was thinking lavender might be too high... will look at both- thanks for suggestions

Yes hardy geraniums is what you need.

how about pulmonaria? though only flowers in spring

Bugle?

Aubretia
www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=aubretia

I agree to hardy geraniums (cranesbill) - there are hundreds of varieties, sizes, habits, and easy to grow. Also Heuchera are good, as virtually evergreen; again, many types. Something a bit more 'exotic' - fuchsia.

www.jparkers.co.uk/perennial-plants/by-variety/hardy-geraniums

www.heucheraholics.co.uk/

www.fuchsiaflower.co.uk/index.htm

erysimum bowles mauve is lovely and has flowered virtually year round here.
geranium rozanne is lovely - although it's lilac rather than deep purple.

I was also going to suggest aubrietia.

Campanula?

Any of the above or lamium (which like bugle should spread nicely). Some of the bergenias have reddish flowers and purple foliage.

What height do you want ?

I'd go for nepeta walkers low or salvia Nemerosa

Geranium Roxanne

Aubretia

Ageratum

Aubretia: my Parents used to have it in three shades of purple. It is low and spreads, but not excessively.

There is a lovely small verbena - verbena rigida - that flowers right through from June. It is SUCH a vivid purple and has a compact form. Not at all like the floating stems of the much larger verbena bonariensis.

these are great suggestions- many many thanks- another consideration is cost. the bed is about 15 metres long- so a lot of plants to cover it. working my way through suggestions now,

J Parker is a good website for plants in bulk that are cheaper than a garden centre.