Someone has used photo software like photoshop to make a red rose look purple. Alec's Red is red.

There are many purple and lavender roses in commerce, but it would be best to get in touch with someone at your local rose society (Florida?) to recommend ones that would do well in your climate.

I'll put a link to a page for your area, and if you scroll down to Florida you will see 18 rose societies listed. You could just e-mail or phone a local contact for advice.

Here is a link that might be useful: Deep South District rose societies

That photo has been manipulated to look purple. 'Alec's Red' is red, not purple at all. Try hunting down either 'Midnight Blue' or 'Ebb Tide' if you want beautiful purples.

I think they got their photos mixed up. Their photo of Big Purple is red. I bet their photo for Alec's Red is really Big Purple and vice versa.

Except that Stephens' Big Purple usually isn't all that purple either...

Here is a link that might be useful: Stephens' Big Purple at HelpMeFind.com

Here is one of the photos of Big Purple from HMF. I think it looks very much like the photo from the link for Alec's Red.

http://www.helpmefind.com/plant/pics.php?l=2.5968.1&nr=-79654