Follow-up pic of how the whole plant looks (on right) and the other plant that also has some variegated leaves that is mixed in with it (on left). If you know what either plant is (and if I should pull) please let me know. They are both growing very fast.

It will get there. Your friends may not have trimmed their bushes. And your bush may be a late bloomer. I have quite a few varieties, some bloomed early June and some are just starting. I like it that way, as there are always flowers for the BFs. What kind do you have? My white flowering bush and my variegated leaf bush have just started blooming and I'm in zone 7. Also, if you pruned late, that may have slowed down your bush. You may have taken off the first buds. Your plant will be in better shape for having been pruned, and your flowers should be larger.

One warning with the Caesar weed...the seeds stick to anything that brushes against it, so be sure you deadhead quickly. And let us know if that works for you. Tasselweed is a favorite of mine in meadows, etc. The butterflies love it. I bought seeds for an improved variety one year, and it was gorgeous. The flowers were slightly larger and the most electric red-orange you can imagine. They sort of wove their way through the sunflowers and other plants like little red jewels. Now that I'm remembering them, I'm going to have to look for seeds again. Marcia (whose encyclopedia is missing quite a few volumes, believe me!)

Updating.... I have found only 5 monarch cats...only 1 of them from my garden. The others were on the wild milkweed along the road in front of my house. I just talked to another butterfly enthusiast, Jane Kirkland of Take A Walk books, and she's found similar circumstances from Scotland and other parts of the world. For people reading who hate bugs...guess what? You got rid of the bugs, with all your pesticides, and now look what we have...no bugs. (Side rant)