Nature watch

[AlanHo]

Skipper

Orange tip

Large white

Small white

Brimstone

Small blue

Small copper

Common blue

Red admiral

Painted lady

Peacock

Small trortoishell

Comma

Meadow brown

Speckled wood

Wall

2 others I don't recognise

It has been a good year for butterflies in our garden. The Buddlia has been extra prolific, which has helped of course.

[Thos]

I had read that it had been a good year but, frankly we haven't seen many at all. We were saying it has been a "good" year for caterpillars!

Thos.

[rong]

Same as Thos, I have a hedge of buddila and not many butterflies. Mind the buddila is very late this year, only just flowering. It's usually covered in them.

[Watchful]

We had hardly any until the buddleia in the back lane flowered a couple of weeks ago and it is now covered in them :)

[-pops-]

Lots of butterflies here. Even seen a purple emporer.

[artist]

We had hardly any until the buddleia in the back lane flowered a couple of weeks ago and it is now covered in them :)

Same here - except for the 'whites'. One of our buddleias is near the patio - it's been a joy to watch them.

:)

[andsome]

I would agree that it has been a good year for the butterflies. I'm so glad we planted a couple of buddleias, a purple one and a golden one. I would like to get another type that I saw earlier in the year. They flower very early, round about April, and have clusters of golden flowers but NOT long clusters, they are instead round.

[artist]

I would agree that it has been a good year for the butterflies. I'm so glad we planted a couple of buddleias, a purple one and a golden one. I would like to get another type that I saw earlier in the year. They flower very early, round about April, and have clusters of golden flowers but NOT long clusters, they are instead round.

They call that a 'pineapple' buddleia round here. I've just cut mine down - too big and sprawly..........The stems don't hold the flower up like the others.

[andsome]

I would agree that it has been a good year for the butterflies. I'm so glad we planted a couple of buddleias, a purple one and a golden one. I would like to get another type that I saw earlier in the year. They flower very early, round about April, and have clusters of golden flowers but NOT long clusters, they are instead round.

They call that a 'pineapple' buddleia round here. I've just cut mine down - too big and sprawly..........The stems don't hold the flower up like the others.

Thanks for the info. probably it should have been hard pruned on a regular basis. I always prune our other two VERY hard in the spring, having first cut them half way back in the preceding autumn.

[artist]

I would agree that it has been a good year for the butterflies. I'm so glad we planted a couple of buddleias, a purple one and a golden one. I would like to get another type that I saw earlier in the year. They flower very early, round about April, and have clusters of golden flowers but NOT long clusters, they are instead round.

They call that a 'pineapple' buddleia round here. I've just cut mine down - too big and sprawly..........The stems don't hold the flower up like the others.

Thanks for the info. probably it should have been hard pruned on a regular basis. I always prune our other two VERY hard in the spring, having first cut them half way back in the preceding autumn.

I prune them all very low - but tht one spurts up much quicker and higher than the others.

[rong]

The best early one is the buddleia alternifolia really sweet scented. flowers on last years wood hence the name. Not sure that the orange one (globosa) doesn't as well, but it keeps it's leaves all year.

[Watchful]

My favourite is the Buddleia Davidii, lilac variety, as the butterflies seem to prefer the colour and I also used to cut it back quite hard each year as it flowers on new growth

[andsome]

I shall have to discuss all this with the local nursery, unless I can get a cutting from where I saw the early golden round one.

[Watchful]

The one you mean is probably Buddleia Globosa which has round orangey yellow flowers in May and June :)

[andsome]

Thanks, I will enqure.

[gordythegouge]

Thanks, I will enqure.

Cuttings taken between now and September will take no problem and as it's a fairly common one to get from nurseries so there should be no problem there either!