A new buddleia

I just received some pre-press about a new butterfly bush that won't be fully available until Spring of '09. The Lo & Behold 'Blue Chip' dwarf buddliea (maturing at 2-3 feet) is being touted as having some very fine characteristics, including:

* Plenty of fragrant, continuous blooms
* An easy to grow, low maintenance culture
* A tidy, compact and attractive habit
* Adaptability to heat, cold, frost and drought
* Deer resistant
* Environmentally friendly (does not drop seed)

'Blue Chip' is the first introduction in the Lo & Behold series of dwarf buddleia. Additional colors are supposed to be added over time. As a Proven Winners ColorChoice introduction, look for it to be extensively promoted to both the trade and consumers.

I've never had much success with buddleias. I don't think that I really know how to prune them back in the spring. I've always cut mine to about a foot high, but then it either never filled out or it died completely. Perhaps in my over zealous rush to get into the spring garden, I've just been pruning too early and the new growth buds have been nipped by late frosts.

Whatever the reason for my disappointing results, this dwarf suggests new possibilities.