Purple magic

Make the most of herbs with colourful leaves to create a pot that looks as good as it tastes.
Time to plant: spring

Dark green rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis Blue Lagoon') takes centre stage in this dramatic container and gives height to the display. Its spiky leaves taste delicious with lamb and can also be used medicinally. 'Blue Lagoon’ is a particularly pretty variety from early spring, when it is covered in deep blue flowers. Silver-Ieaved curry plants (Helichrysum italicum) and purple-Ieaved sage (Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens’) alternate around the edge of the pot, interspersed with purple-flowered Violas. Curry plants earn their name thanks to their amazingly pungent scent, although they're not actually used in curries. They make very ornamental plants, though, with their silvery leaves and yellow flowers.
Purple sage is another herb that is useful in cooking, and it tastes as good as the plain-green variety. The young leaves of this plant are dark purple, gradually fading to green as they age.

TIP This handsome combination of favourite herbs will last all summer. However. once plants begin to outgrow their space, simply move them out into the garden and replace with young plants raised from cuttings.

references: BBC 2011 gardeners book
image:  http://calscape.com/cnps2/allimages/Photos/Salvia_leucophylla_image13.jpg