Overgrown buddleia ( part 2 ) ..

another_casualty

Thanks again for the very helpful condtructive advice . 

Fair enough I guess regarding the " gardeners" comments . It seems that I am wrong in this case . However, I did look at the increasing growth since they last cut it 3 weeks ago now, and it is blocking light from one of my bedroom windows . It is getting way too high , and I hope that by looking at the pictures above you'd agree. It's getting back to the same stage as last year .

So, I did do the stupid thing , and a cordless hedge trimmer is on its way and will be here tomorrow 😬. Not MSE , but a possible fleabay sale in the future . I intend to reduce the height . I will try to take on board what you mentioned about growth @Farway and possibly leave some of the growth that is going outward from the windows so to speak . 

" good luck with that " I hear you say . I will be doing this on Friday I assume due to getting the trimmer charged up .  I saw how easy and quick , the " gardener" used his trimmer in a matter of seconds . I was going to ask for it to be cut a couple of inches more , but I thought that they'd be back to tidy it up . 

I'll leave it there for now ..

another_casualty

Okay.. trimmer arrived and now charged . However, looking from the outside , I am having 2nd thoughts . Reason being , that if the growth doesn't go any higher I think it's something I can live with . Looking from my windows I can see the return of the pink growth imminent . Also , when I cut the growth last year I cut back a few of the thick branches . Hopefully by doing that , the growth won't be as mad as last year. 

Advice again please 😼

on one of the photos attached , there is a picture of a seperate Buddleia stump that was more or less dead when the previous gardener gave it a good cut . I like where this plant is as it's not blocking any light etc. For some bizarre reason it is beginning to grow as well . 

Last photo .

LessImpecunious

another_casualty said:

Okay.. trimmer arrived and now charged . However, looking from the outside , I am having 2nd thoughts . Reason being , that if the growth doesn't go any higher I think it's something I can live with . Looking from my windows I can see the return of the pink growth imminent . Also , when I cut the growth last year I cut back a few of the thick branches . Hopefully by doing that , the growth won't be as mad as last year. 

Advice again please 😼

on one of the photos attached , there is a picture of a seperate Buddleia stump that was more or less dead when the previous gardener gave it a good cut . I like where this plant is as it's not blocking any light etc. For some bizarre reason it is beginning to grow as well . 

Last photo .

another_casualty said:

Okay.. trimmer arrived and now charged . However, looking from the outside , I am having 2nd thoughts . Reason being , that if the growth doesn't go any higher I think it's something I can live with . Looking from my windows I can see the return of the pink growth imminent . Also , when I cut the growth last year I cut back a few of the thick branches . Hopefully by doing that , the growth won't be as mad as last year. 

Advice again please 😼

on one of the photos attached , there is a picture of a seperate Buddleia stump that was more or less dead when the previous gardener gave it a good cut . I like where this plant is as it's not blocking any light etc. For some bizarre reason it is beginning to grow as well . 

Last photo .

The growth will go higher, but if you leave it the "pink growth" will become flowers, which wildlife and maybe even you will enjoy! Better perhaps to thin out (i.e., cut some of the smaller shoots right back to the stump which will mean fewer leaves blocking the light) and let the taller ones flower. It's not bizarre that the other Buddleia is growing back - that's what they will do once cut back, even to very low stumps - it wasn't dead, had just had all it's leaves and younger shoots removed. It will also continue to grow taller over the summer, and will produce flowers later than the larger one.

theoretica

This is what buddleias do - and the gardeners and management company are correct about the care of them.  To get a well-mannered plant which stays about the size it is cut to you will need to focus the conversation on getting rid of it and replacing it. 

another_casualty

well, as the growth was only going to keep going upwards I thought it best to address the situation now and see what gives . 

I did intend to do the softly softly approach , but I just couldn't gain access to the side or back of the growth so I had to be a bit more ruthless to manage it now and in the future when it gets out of control again . 

I don't know how much damage I have done , but I had to stop having that playing on my mind and procrastinating . 

Anyway, this is it for the moment . Can you see the postbox? 😼

I'll leave it there , and await your further comments 😸

Katiehound

There is nothing wrong with a Buddleia- in the right place.
 My neighbours planted a very beautiful deep purple right by their front gate. It is now about 8ft tall but they keep cutting the sides so it gets taller and taller with few flowers!

What colour is this one? if it is the pale mauve version it is the standard and very robust. it self seeds everywhere- bomb sites in London were colonised by buddleias after WW2. Same neighbours had one growing about 10ft up on a brick wall as it had self sown where there was little/no mortar. In fact that is what might have happened in your case- a plant that just appeared!.

Personally I would just get it out completely and replace with something that is slower growing. If there is no rush you could even grow Euonymus from cuttings over next winter. Look and see what grows locally. I see in one of your photos there is a spindly rose which might look good if pruned and fed.

Would lavender survive here? Low growing, evergreen, scented and flowers attract the bees.

theoretica

another_casualty said:

I don't know how much damage I have done , but I had to stop having that playing on my mind and procrastinating .

I expect the plant will survive just fine but likely will have few if any flowers.

another_casualty

Thanks @Katiehound & @theoretica
It was a pink colour .  I had decided to cut it today because of other reasons I forgot to mention ; The director who lives next door to me has been away for a few days so I took my chance  , plus rather than cut it all down I thought it best to have a middle ground whereas there is still enough niot to raise his eyebrows upon his return.

In my last home ( upstairs maissonnette ) , my eccentric neighbour kept letting said plants grow sky high. Much to my annoyance .  Nice plants but not for flats .

I'm in no rush , but it would be nice to replace that with a plant with berries for birds . 

I must admit that I don't know the way forward on how I could get this done .
The reason I say this is for some reason there has not been an AGM this year .
I don't want to be seen as someone constantly moaning , as I've mentioned the dreaded Buddleia on more than one occasion in a short time . The last time when I nabbed the neighbour complaining about the decision not to touch it for a few months . He acted swiftly and the gardeners cut it back . I've now mentioned it twice since , so would like to just keep quiet and get along 🤐

I would think lavender would grow there , as it's a bright and my front room is a sun trap .
I'm far from being a gardener , so always open to suggestions . 😼

It does seem that I'll be cutting the Buddleia more often as and when , when it gets too much . The other Buddleia growth  is welcome though ..

in_my_wellies

another_casualty said:

I did intend to do the softly softly approach , but I just couldn't gain access to the side or back of the growth so I had to be a bit more ruthless to manage it now and in the future when it gets out of control again . 

I don't know how much damage I have done , but I had to stop having that playing on my mind and procrastinating . 

I'll leave it there , and await your further comments 😸

Did you catch the net curtain with the clippers?

another_casualty

Forgot to mention , the spindly rose . It always grows . White .