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Am I growing the World’s biggest weed?

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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They're really amongst the easiest plants to grow. Cut down, stand back, do nothing else.
    I do mine in 'tiers'. They form part of my boundary hedge, so the parts nearest the fence are cut to roughly the fence height, and everything in front of that is cut right down.
    I don't usually cut them back in autumn as our ground is solid enough to keep them steady, but in an open space, and in lighter, drier soil, it's certainly a good idea to cut them back a bit at that time.

    Deadhead the flowers too, to keep the new ones coming. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    The white ones seem to attract them more than the purple.  
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They do say that Lyn, but having had both, I'm not sure it's true. Perhaps it varies around the country, depending on the species of butterfly too. 
    They certainly show up better against the white flowers though  :)
    We've had the clouds of painted ladies, torties as usual, and now the peacocks have appeared. Red admirals will be later.
    I was taking some pix yesterday with peacocks, bees and p. ladies all in abundance, but it was a bit too windy to get any good, clear ones. These were last week

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    Great photos of all the butterflies doing their thing on Buddleja :smile:

    Did you see this, @Fairygirlhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-49210010
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yes @LG_ - I did. If I'd known, I could have sent in a few pix   ;)
    I know I've said elsewhere on the forum that we used to get them every year in our previous garden nearby, but this was the first time I'd seen them in this one - been here 6 years.
    I'd been seeing them in the hedgerows and farm lanes nearby for a few weeks, and just assumed they were around, but not needing to come into gardens. I then found out about the ten year thing, but hopefully we will get them a bit more frequently in future years   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • I have three types of Buddliea growing in the garden.  For sentimental reasons I like the orange Globosia, but I have to say the purple one attracts the most butterflies and they all have a fragrance too.
  • Wow @Guernsey Donkey2 I’ve never seen the Globosia before! That’s pretty!! 

    Everyone ne has so many butterflies this year!! I love all these pictures! I haven’t seen a tortoise shell in a long time, but the red admirals are already around here!
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I have very dark red ones as well, maybe they just stand out more on the white ones.
    you have prune the Globosa in the opposite way to the others. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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