Maggie's Farm

I like wisteria. In Australia it blooms around my birthday, late September [Springtime here is September to November]. There are some nice examples near where I live.
But for purple foliage and ground coverage you can't go past the jacaranda tree, which blooms in November and December [late Spring, early Summer].
The jacaranda was probably brought to Australia by a gardener who loved the look of purple. A large jacaranda in flower is a spectacular sight, purple against a solid blue sky. The flowers appear on bare branches, before the leaves return. Then there's the purple carpet of dropped blooms.
The jacaranda is hardy, and fertile. Seeds drop and new trees grow without human intervention. Except for their beauty they would probably be regarded as weeds.
There are many jacaranda trees in Sydney, Australia. Come November [late Spring] they will again burst forth, a sign that Summer is not far away.