It’s a fast grower that produces dense, upright panicles of flowers, up to 12 inches long, from late spring to fall. They are typically violet-blue but may be purple, pink, or white.

Its white, yellow, red, or blue flowers appear in early spring and bloom through midsummer. The only caveat is that columbine is one of the shorter-lived perennials; if you love them, add a few ...

Purple foxglove flowers. iStock/Getty Images Plus 6. Lenten Rose Also known as hellebores, lenten roses bloom in early spring and its evergreen foliage "adds interest" to a spring garden.

Even much further south, on Jacaranda Avenue in the Wollongong suburb of Figtree, bright purple is starting to line both sides of the street. If it seems unusual to see jacarandas flowering ...

* Botanical name: Lamium maculatum ‘Purple Dragon’ * What it is: A shade-preferring, flowering groundcover that has showy silver leaves with green edges and magenta-purple flowers in spring.