GREEN SCENE

WITH LYNNE ALLBUTT

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You will occasionally see it spelled Buddleja but the addition of two letters after the Reverend’s surname remains the same principle.

Buddleia davidii and Buddleia alternifolia are probably the most popular butterfly bushes, but they differ in their growth habit and flowering patterns. Buddleia davidii is known for its large, showy flower panicles on upright, arching branches, while Buddleia alternifolia has slender, arching or weeping branches with flowers produced along the length of the previous year's stems.

I think out of the two, the davidii varieties are the most often seen as they have the greatest number of options to choose from.

Most buddleias can reach a giddy height and width of 12-15 feet making them great doers for big spaces, but the newer, more compact cultivars are ideal for planting in containers.

There are apparently more than 140 distinct species of Buddleia and I can only encourage you to check out which variety, size and colour would be best suited to your garden but here are a few ideas.

In the davidii camp are Black Knight (one of my faves), with rich, dark purple blooms, White Cloud - these white blooms will lift a shady area of the garden - Royal Red, with gorgeous red blooms and Pink Delight, with delightful pink flowers.