Plantoftheweek

BUDDLEJA DAVIDII ‘FREE PETITE’ SERIES

ONE of the best flowering shrubs for attracting butterflies is Buddleja davidii. It flowers

from July to September. Buddleja is a big shrub with coarse growth and that precludes it from tiny gardens. But there are excellent dwarf varieties. Free Petite buddlejas come in a useful colour range. They grow little more than 70cm high with a similar spread and are excellent for large pots. One of the most attractive — B. Free Petite Tutti Fruitti — has rose-purple flowers and terrific fragrance. There’s a fine dark purple-blue called Blue Heaven and a slightly weedier white — Free Petite Snow White. For a big patio, I’d plant all three.