No I don't think it is but I can't name it, although it does look familiar.

Maybe a Salvia nemorosa?

I thought it might be Stachys officinalis or one of the hybrids. Pretty lilac/purple flower spike.

I wonder if it's a common garden weed that I can't, for the life of me remember the name of! The one I'm thinking of has rather soft leaves and a dull purple/maroon flower spike. Doesn't smell nice.

The name, as far as I can remember, has something to do with smoke. Does anyone know the one I'm talking about?

I remembered it! Surprising what a nice walk can do.

The weed I was thinking of is Fumitory - the smoke connection I came from the Latin 'fume' which means smoke, fumes or even fire in some cases.

Of course it could be something different altogether but that what I thought it might be.

Fumitory leaves are much more carrot/parsley like, so I don't think it is.

Having looked up pix of Fumitory you're absolutely right Cammomile and isn't the plant I had in mind at all! I wish I could remember the one I think it is - I only pulled one out of my border the other day.

I think my memory banks have a leak!

Join the club Arbuthnot. A few years ago I had a blank every time I wanted to say "wheelbarrow". My husband is sure I'm losing it but all is well!

Arbuthnot, it might be Stachys sylvatica, Hedge Woundwort, that you are thinking of. It stinks!

I also think it might be S sylvatica but I know it as wood woundwort.

having said that it also looks a bit like a verbacum I have growing in the garden.

It's a salvia spendens. I cheated and asked a plant I.D. App. I had them in my last garden but they got rather large and although the purple/blue flower was pretty it was very insignificant.

Salvia splendens is known as Scarlet Sage, because all of the older varieties were a spectacular scarlet color. Though they now come in other colors, they all look quite different from this, and are tender annuals, not hardy perennials, like this one appears to be. Another Salvia is a definite possibility, but probably not splendens.

can you leave iot until it is in flower then we will have a better chance of a proper id.

Many Thanks to all. I will send a photo when it flowers. Am in Spain at the moment where it is fab weather. I beleive it's very rainy at home so it may have drowned by now ☀️