In theory, slug traps (a jar half-full of beer buried up to its neck in the ground) might work, but some slugs round here don't seem to like beer. And some of the cats do...

There's a thought - anyone got any sure-fire anti-cat remedies? I'd like something a little less risky than the guy on an electronics board who's installed a low-current electric wire along the tops of his fences!

Liz - Cambridgeshire seems to be Buddleia Central, it looks like everyone's got one. Maybe all the builders have access to a garden centre that sells them cheap, or something. Anyway, my buddleia's just a standard purple one, but it's enormous. There's nothing until about head-height, just some twisty trunks, then the branches start. They've gone a good 8-10 feet in each direction now (and a fair ways up too) - I'm amazed the trunks are strong enough to support it! Come the winter, it's in for a really good haircut...

Grab.