Buddleia and Rowan assistance!

[SkodaLabia]

I have a flower bed approx 6 feet from my house, separated from the house by a path. I'm shuffling existing plants around to better use the space and I'd like some height there.

I have a Rowan Commixta Embley and a white buddleia in need of homes. Obviously the rowan is the lovelier thing, but I'm a bit nervous about planting it so close to the house. Is there any way to underplant a buddleia to make it feel woodlandy and tree-like?

Epimedium is a great plant to grow around the base of shrubs and will look good most of the year. Bulbs such as crocus and winter aconites do well in the same situation.

I've pruned my purple buddleia into a tree form. The foliage begins at 5ft so I have lots of lovely things planted underneath where it receives the sun. It does shoot up from the top however and requires a regular haircut/thinning to keep it in check. It's against a fence so that restricts it a little. If it was in an open bed I'm not sure I'd be so brave

Thanks both. I've been considering epimediums, so that's good.

Hhm. Mine is currently about 4 feet tall, with young growth right from ground level. Perhaps if I stay on top of it and prune it every early spring I could keep it to between 3 and 4m? Or is that being naive?

I was worried about planting the rowan there because of the density of the foliage when they're more mature. It would be in front of a window, am I right?