Butterfly Bush

The front garden has (basically) three beds - the main one, the dry creek bed, and the "filled with rocks" bed. For the first year, there was nothing in the latter (other than rocks, which I inherited with the house) because there was no way to get water to it. After finally fixing the third sprinkler valve, I picked out two Buddleja davidii 'Black Knight', which are surprisingly drought and heat-tolerant.

These haven't  been pruned to the ground since they were planted. I'm still trying to decided if I should?

These plants taught me an important lesson - plants have to suit the site! See how one (in the background) is much bigger than the other, even though they were planted at the same time?

They were the same size when I bought them!

That's because the smaller one (foreground) spent about a year in a different spot - right next to the front door. Which only gets full-sun for about 2 hours in the morning, before the column and roof line put it in full shade. It was NOT happy there, so I moved it its current spot. In less than a year, it about doubled in size (and started blooming). But obviously the other one is still bigger...

The smaller plant - that's now hiding the sprinkler valves and hose reel. Full sun = good

Their dark purple flowers have the best scent, and look great against the white of the house and garage

This means, of course, I can't even change the paint scheme of my house! :)

  Last year, something was eating the leaves (turning them into lace almost!) but it doesn't seem to be impacting them this year. They started blooming in early June, and if I remember to dead-head them, will keep going! There is a new one in the back garden - if it blooms this year, I'll be interested to see if it's the same one or a different color...