Huge thin stalk with purple flowers

I saw a plant which I am desperate to identify while walking past somebody's garden the other day. It was tall (around 7 or 8 ft) and thin, around 1 ft in width getting smaller towards the top where it tapered into a point. It also had small purple flowers all over it.

I've tried googling all of this but just can't seem to find it. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

Could it be a hollyhock? Check out the flowers on my avitar. Do they look like these?

 

It might be a Clome (Spider Plant)

 

Unfortunately I was just wandering randomly so didn't get a picture.

I don't think it is a hollyhock or a clome. It literally is just one huge tall stalk, almost like a totem pole, with very small purple flowers.

 

Ummmmm,I have no clue then.

 

Which zone are you in? Were the flowers on the stalk or sort of dispended from the stalk? Did you see any leaves at all? If you did, were they near the ground or up the stem along with the flowers?

 

Liatris Spicata?

This is a random guess, but could it be Liatris Spicata?

 

I've been thinking. (Yes, I brag. ) The only thing I can think of with such enormous flower spikes are Eremurus and agave. I couldn't find purple Eremurus, but did find a purple-flowering agave. Check out Agave schidigera Durango Delight. It's a PDF-document. I know the normal Agave blooms look like a tree, but some have tall spikes. Most are white or yellow. My, I've learned a lot today!

 

What about Echium Pininana??

 

Could it be an ornamental onion of some kind. They have a very long stalk and flowers on top.

 

Could it be Agapanthus (lily of the nile)? Mine are purple.

 

My first thoughts were Liatris or Foxglove. A picture would be very helpful.

 

It was a Echium Pininana! I've just googled it and it looks exactly the same.

Thanks so much everyone for all of your suggestions.

 

Well done EJ! That's some plant, never heard about it.