Buddleja lindleyana

butterfly bush

• Position: full sun
• Soil: fertile, well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: fast-growing
• Flowering period: July to September
• Hardiness: frost hardy (it may need protection in winter)
  
  At the ends of the slender, arching stems, curved, dark violet flowers form nodding, tapering panicles that emit a delicate scent and act as a magnet to butterflies. This vase-shaped, deciduous shrub also boasts handsome, dark green leaves throughout the warmer months, so it works well towards the back of a mixed shrub border. Alternatively train it against a sunny, south-facing wall where it will appreciate the added protection in winter.
  
  
• Garden care: Prune back hard in March, removing all of the previous year's growth to three or four buds.