Mystery Flower

There are plants growing in the yard that I cannot identify and that bugs me.  This tall perennial flower escaped from the neighbors with several sprouting in a gravel pile I had.  That might be a clue to its identity.  I moved them to the garden where they have done well.  The neighbor thought it was a kind of lavender, but I am skeptical.  It doesn't smell like lavender.  It fact, it has no fragrance at all.  Internet searches have turned up nothing.  If anyone knows what this is, I would appreciate hearing from you. 

While you're at it,  can you also identify the leafy shrub behind it?  It comes up wild in the yard, has reddish new growth, stays green all winter and has never borne flowers or fruit.  None of my native plant books reveal its identity.  Somebody out there must surely know what these plants are.  I will be grateful to get these mysteries solved.

UPDATE:  The mystery is solved 7/11/2010