Dwarf Buddleia – Butterfly Bushes Ideal For Small Gardens & Patio Pots
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Growing Dwarf Buddleias
Buddleia are one of the most loved garden plants admired by gardeners, birds, bees and insects alike and there is no mistaking the sweetly scented, fragrant flowers that are so attractive to butterflies. This is where the name ‘Butterfly bush’ arises from. Most Buddleia varieties grow to over 7ft (210cm) tall, not always making them ideal for smaller gardens.
There are now new breeds of ‘true’ dwarf Buddleias that will only grow to 2-3ft (60-90cm) and they are excellent for planting in smaller spaces. They look fabulous when planted in patio pots that are spread along the patio or alternatively as a low growing hedge.
varieties
Buddleia Buzz®
The Buddleia Buzz collection by Thompson & Morgan has been carefully cultivated. There are five different varieties of this dwarf patio buddleia, they have been specially cultivated with smaller gardens and patio pots in mind. The sweetly scented flowers are approximately 15cm (6inch) long which are the same size as that of a full-size buddleia flower, but they only grow to an eventual height and spread of 4ft (120cm) making them perfect for pots.
The 5 Buddleia Buzz collection are made up of Buddleja:
- Buddleja ‘Buzz® Magenta’
- Buddleja ‘Buzz® Ivory’
- Buddleja ‘Buzz™ Sky Blue’
- Buddleja Buzz™ Indigo’
- Buddleja ‘Buzz™ Candy Pink’ This is the latest edition which has been introduced in 2015
Sold by: Thompson & Morgan: Click here
Dwarf Patio Buddleia ‘Blue Chip’, ‘White Chip’ and ‘Red Chip’
These compact, small Buddleia cultivars are another variety of dwarf Buddleja shruba that are perfect for patio pots. Like other Buddleia, they are very attractive to a variety of beautiful butterflies, our much loved bees and other beneficial insects that pollinate our plants and are important to pollinating crops.These Buddleia only grow to around 2ft (60cm) tall and make excellent compact plants for patio pots.
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Pruning
Dwarf Buddleia just like their bigger counterparts, require pruning every spring to keep them compact and promote more flowers. Buddleia’s flower on the new current years growth so pruning back will encourage lots of new growth which will reward you with lots of scented flowers over the summer.
Prune when the worst of the frost is over which is usually around March / April and new growth is starting to show. For the first couple of years after planting, prune down to a strong framework approximately 20-30cm tall, removing any diseased, damaged or weak stems. After the first couple of years prune back to around 2 buds, on the previous years growth.
Feeding
We recommend you feed your Buddleia after pruning in spring with a high in potash (potassium) feed such as Vitax Q4 or a good quality rose feed as this helps to promote more flowers.
Feed them again as you water them over the summer with tomato feed as they will need regularly watering if grown in containers. Tomato food often makes an excellent cheap feed as it is high in potash and good for encouraging more flowers.
Aftercare
To prolong flowering it is a good idea to deadhead (remove) fading flowers which will promote more flowers throughout the summer. Once the final set of flowers have finished in autumn it is a good idea to leave these on as the seeds provides food for small birds over winter.
Inspiration
You can plant dwarf Buddleia in most well-drained soil or compost in full sun or partial shade. They are great for creating wildlife and scented gardens. They also make a great low growing hedge that will look amazing when in full flower and won’t get too big.
Propagating
The best way to propagate buddleia to get a few extra plants, is by taking cutting in spring.
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Buddleia alternifolia is a weeping variety of buddliea, all though not dwarf it makes a fantastic bush if you have the room and produces clusters of sweetly scented purple-lilac flowers along it’s weeping branches.
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