Buddleja davidii BLOOMTASTIC Dreaming Lavender - Butterfly Bush

Buddleja Bloomtastic Dreaming Lavender 'Hinebud1' is a new variety of butterfly bush that stands out with its spreading habit rather than the typical bushy habit of classic varieties. Its horizontally growing branches overlap to form a wide and low dome, adorned with slightly greyish green leaves that persist on the bush in mild climates. Fragrant mauve flower spikes bloom continuously from early summer to autumn. Easy to fit in a small garden, stunning in the foreground of borders or above walls, this ground cover bush also makes a big impact in pots. It is hardy and easy to grow everywhere.

The 'Dreaming' buddleja series was developed by Peter Podaras of Hines Nursery in California, and it brings together sterile or low-fertility hybrids that devote all their energy to flowering instead of producing seeds, meaning they are not likely to self-seed in the garden or in nature. Buddleja Bloomtastic Dreaming Lavender, introduced in 2011, is a complex hybrid between 5 different buddleja species: Buddleja davidii, B. alternifolia, B. caryopterifolia, B. lindleyana, and B. crispa. Like all butterfly bushes, it belongs to the Scrophulariaceae (Buddlejaceae) family.

Bloomtastic Dreaming Lavender will not exceed 50 cm (20 in) in height with a spread of 1.5 m (5 ft). This variety develops a horizontal growth, with short branches, quickly forming a low and densely leafy dome. The foliage is semi-evergreen and will remain on the branches throughout the winter in mild climates, but it is deciduous in colder regions. It consists of slightly hairy elliptical leaves measuring approximately 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in) long and 3 to 4 cm (1 to 2 in) wide. The foliage is a lovely greyish-green colour that enhances the colour of the flowers. It flowers from June-July to October-November, for about 5 months. From the emerging foliage, panicles of well-supplied 20 cm (8 in) long flowers appear. These flowers are blue-violet and release a light honey scent, highly sought after by pollinating insects. They fade discreetly and do not need to be pruned. This hardy bush does not suffer from occasional drought when planted in deep soil. When grown in pots, it will require regular watering and some fertiliser to support its growth and flowering.

Dreaming Lavender is perfect in a container on a terrace, and will easily find a place in the garden, even when space is limited. It integrates well in the front of a border of perennials or shrubs and looks good at the edge of a pathway or above a wall. Its combination with ground cover roses, dwarf abelias, pink coneflowers, and asters is interesting for animating borders until the end of summer.