Last year I planted Buddleja davidii 'Empire Blue' and didn't take a photograph of its flowers. Perhaps I bought it when it was not in flower. Anyway, this year, despite there having been many flowers, I almost forgot. Flowering has almost finished now but yesterday I remembered when it was raining and blowing a gale. I managed to take a fairly decent shot of one of the remaining purple flowers, and a not so great photograph to try and indicate to you the rather ethereal growing habit of this delightful shrub. The leaves are a grey green and pointy on slender branches and they sway around beautifully in the breeze.
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| Buddleja davidii 'Empire Blue' |
This summer I have been carefully
deadheading the flowers on buddleias to promote more flowers. Davidii are summer flowering buddleias and it is best to
prune them back in early spring as they flower on growth made that same year. If you prune them too early, like now, any new growth will be tender and may be damaged by harsh winter weather. However, I plan to trim my Buddleia davidii 'Empire Blue' and
Buddleia davidii 'Nanho Blue' just a little in the hope that winter gales won't cause the delicate branches to rip. Then, next spring, I will cut them back harder to stimulate new growth.
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| Buddleja davidii 'Empire Blue' |
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| Buddleia davidii 'Nanho Blue' |
