Replacement for buddleia bush

[Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by Susie

I have one called black knight which is excellent at attracting butterflies. I would imagine it is similar or the same to your dark knight, Cowgirl. If yours doesn't survive you are welcome to a cutting from mine, they take very easily.

Doh! Thought that didn't sound quite right when I wrote it, too many Batman films ! Thanks for the offer Susie. At present so far, so good, hubbie staying away from the shrub! Maybe one day I may have to hold you to that offer !

[Purplepixii]

Thanks for all the suggestions

I think I might go for another buddleia but also maybe a Lonicera fragrantissima near to it. I did have a Lonicera before but it unfortunately died when the fence came down

I was also considering sticking old man's beard amongst the (non-native) laurels at the bottom of the garden and some Ivy at the front of my house to increase the diversity.

That's along with turning the back garden into a wild meadow (bought seeds for that) and digging a wildlife pond (I can't bear to part with my fishies!)

Woohoo a plant-shopping I will go! (and a-knackered I will be!)

[Susie]

has anyone managed to grow a climber, like a clematis, through a buddleia? I've seen it done with other shrubs successfully and have always thought that it should be able to be done with buddleia too as long as the vigour of the shrubs is similar.

[Geoff F]

It does take a lot to kill a healthy buddleia so it may well shoot again from ground level in the Spring. I find Black Knight to be more compact than the usual 'wild' forms.

But as for alternatives. There are so many possibilities. Amongst my must have hardy shrubs with wildlife benefit are Berberis (as well as Darwinii, B. stenophylla is a good all round evergreen also with yellow spring flowers and purple autumn berries).

For something different, I have found the semi evergreen Leycesteria formosa to be reliable with purplish red and white flowers followed by autumn nutmeg like berries.

Probably my must have shrub would be Mahonia with it's attractive evergreen leaves which take on winter tints and bright yellow perfumed very early spring flowers which are so important for those early bumblebees and hoverflies.

I would give a bit of caution about 'Old Man's Beard' which self seeds everywhere. I have just about eradicated them from my garden after they seeded from a hedge a little way down the road.

It is the only member of the clematis family which will grow in my garden. But I have managed to get vigorous forms of Nasturtium to wander through lower shrub branches. They also self seed but can easily be kept under control by a little hoe pushing.

I am trying to grow some Dicentra scandens from seeds at the moment with the idea of letting them scramble through some shrubs

[Naturenutz]

Hi folks,I would like get the best possible flowering from my buddleia this year.Last year i trimmed dead heads around midsummer and got a smaller flowering when there were many butterflies still present.which was great.Am i better trimming the left over heads this spring,or cutting back at all ? Any replies appreciated.ps my plant is a common purple colour,not sure of its name .

[Susie]

If you would like a second flowering in autumn then it is probably best to trim in early spring, March for example, and then again after the first flowering. You could leave the first pruning if you like and just cut back the dead heads in the summer for that late summer/early autumn flush. Hope that helps.

The above is what I would do for a davidii. For other types of buddleia it varies.

[Ilex]

Saith Ffynnon recommend buddleja weyeriana due to its longer flowering season. Apparently, it is a cross between davidii and globosa types. Fancy one meself!

Jolly nice folk at Saith Ffynnon, too (no connection).

Graeme

[Purplepixii]

Thanks for all the answers

I've decided to go with (and have just ordered) a Buddleja x weyeriana 'Sungold' and a Lonicera fragrantissima for the back garden

(Have also ordered Hedera helix 'Gold Heart' for the front garden).

Cheers
Purplepixii

[Susie]

I can recommend Sungold, it's a good choice. My plants are still quite small but are definitely worth having in the garden. Plus they flower later in the season and can go on well into autumn if the conditions are right and provide some late season nectar and colour.