And as the flowers go past I dead head them regular.

Down to the next leaf joint or two. You may well get more flowering later. If it is a big bush I normally give mine a light tidy up in the autumn (fall) and then the main pruning in the spring.

Regular deadheading (up to daily) of Buddleja davidii, like with roses, has so many benefits. The plants look tidier, you avoid self-seeding, the plant doesn't use up energy on making seeds and you can keep some of them in flower until October with up to a fourth flush of (albeit smaller) flowers.

its realy hardy so its not realy importent realy infact you dont need to as such thow there is logic as said to dead heading .

Thanks you everyone. I just want to keep these two butterfly bushes going as they were special gifts to me.

your more than welcome . dont worry youl have trouble stopping them so thats good . localy a very old building used for carpets burnt down taking down the roof and theres butterfly bushes growing out of the old morter at the top in the wall .

Thank you so much.

xx