Chop this If your butterfly bush has gone feral, a chop is in order. Buddleja davidii produces blooms on the current year’s growth, so you can prune in early spring without losing summer flowers. Use a pruning saw or loppers to cut stems back to 30cm from the ground. Be brave: it looks brutal, but it will reinvigorate your shrub. If heavy frosts are forecast, delay to the end of the month.
Plant this If you want the romance of a rambling rose without the rampancy of many varieties, compact Rosa ‘Snow Goose’ is a brilliant choice. Its small white pompom flowers keep coming all summer, and are lightly scented, too. Height and spread around 2.5m x 2.5m.
Visit this East Ruston Vicarage Gardens in Norfolk reopen today, with 32 acres to explore, including a tree fern garden. The tearooms have woodburners if it’s nippy. Details at eastrustonoldvicarage.co.uk.
