This shrub is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.

• Position: full sun
• Soil: fertile, well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: fast-growing
• Flowering period: July to September
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  This new butterfly bush puts on a dazzling display in summer, and it's ideal for smaller spaces. A dense shrubby plant reaching just 80cm or so, it's topped from midsummer to early autumn with conical sprays of lilac flowers, which attract butterflies in their droves. It flourishes in a sunny spot, and will quite happily live in a pot where space is at a premium.
  
  
• Garden care: Prune back hard in March, removing all of the previous year's growth to three or four buds.