Buddleja davidii 'Royal Red'
Butterfly Bush
- Position: full sun
- Soil: fertile, well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: fast-growing
- Flowering period: July to September
- Flower colour: dark red-purple
- Other features: autumn colour, scented flowers attractive to butterflies
- Hardiness: fully hardy
- Garden care: Prune back hard in March, removing all of the previous year's growth to three or four buds.
Clusters of fragrant, dark red-purple flowers, which are very attractive to butterflies, top the gently arching branches from midsummer. This butterfly bush produces some of the largest blooms currently available, and if the shrub is pruned hard each spring, the honey-scented flowerspikes can grow up to an impressive 50cm (20in) long. The mid- to grey-green leaves, will turn butter-yellow in autumn before they fall, and this coupled with the showy flowers, makes it a fine specimen for a sunny position.
Hydrangea serrata 'Bluebird'
hydrangea
Distinctive blue (or sometimes pink) flowers and autumn colour
Hibiscus syriacus 'Oiseau Bleu'
tree hollyhock (syn. Blue Bird)
Late flowering shrub with large blue flowers
Clematis 'Princess Diana'
clematis (group 3)
Minature pink tulip-shaped flowers
Rosa Royal Jubilee ('Ausparade') (PBR)
rose Royal Jubilee (shrub)
Shows excellent disease resistance
How to create a wildlife-friendly garden
An organic garden should also be a wildlife-friendly garden. Not only is it wonderful to see nature at work, but many creatures will help you achieve better results. The ponds in my garden act as a magnet to dragonflies and...
Read full articleDealing with common pests and diseases
One of the first things you learn when you start gardening is that plants are not alone in the garden. There is a whole host of bugs that set up home in...
Read full articleJune pruning of trees, shrubs and climbers
June is a time to relax and enjoy your garden, but there are still some early flowering shrubs that will need pruning if they are to produce the best possible displays year after year. A few shrubs can also be...
Read full articleSeaside
Gardening by the coast offers specific challenges and opportunities. You can take advantage of the mild climate to grow not-so-hardy plants with confidence, but will have to choose them carefully to ensure they can cope with the buffeting winds...
Read full articleAphids
Symptoms Most commonly thought of as the small, fat, green insects covering roses. However, aphids can also be black, yellow, pink, greyish-white and brown. They are all about 2mm long, round and full of sap. Harm Bad infestations can reduce the vigour of...
Read full articleMarch pruning of trees, shrubs and climbers
Use the following notes as a guide when pruning trees, shrubs and climbers in your garden during the month of March. I’ve included timely advice on Abeliophyllum, Artemesia, Brachyglottis, Brunfelsia, Buddleja, Ceanothus, Clematis, Colutea, Cotinus, Daphne, Eccremocarpus, Elsholtzia, ...
Read full articleChelsea Chop and other methods of extending the flowering season
Many gardeners who are happy, even gung-ho, with the secateurs when pruning shrubs and climbers are surprisingly reluctant to take the shears to herbaceous perennials. Maybe this is because it just doesn’t seem quite right to be cutting back all...
Read full article