Experienced grower's notes on Butterfly Bush

I've been growing plants seriously for over fifteen years and Butterfly Bush remains a reliable favourite. For anyone starting out: the most critical thing is watering in dry spells in the first two seasons after planting. Everything else follows from that.

failure to flower when pruned at the wrong time is the challenge that trips up most beginners and some experienced growers too. I've been growing mine in a low-maintenance foundation planting around a house for three seasons now and the results are consistently good. multi-season interest from flowers, berries, bark, and autumn colour is what makes it worth coming back to year after year. winter bark and evergreen foliage interest is when I show it off — it earns its place fully then.