A Butterfly Garden

Did you know that you can invite butterflies into your garden? You can and it is easier than you might imagine. Everyone loves the sight of delicate butterflies, especially when they flutter in groups. Here are a few simple tips to help bring butterflies into your garden.

The simple way to invite butterflies into your garden is to grow those flowers that they love. In order to do this, choose some flowers that offer nectar to the butterflies. While it may seem counterintuitive, you also want to add a few flowers that caterpillars enjoy eating. You should place these flowers away from the main body of your garden, however, in order to keep your prized flowers safe.

Here are a few ideas and suggestions on the types of flowers and plants that attract butterflies. We have also included some ideas on host plants that caterpillars like for laying their larvae.

A favorite for most butterflies is called aptly enough the butterfly bush. This is a plant that produces nectar and it is a perennial. Of interest to gardeners is that this plant comes in many different colors and it comes in many different sizes. The plant is a hearty breed and it will grow substantially during the year.

Butterflies also enjoy and will be attracted to Daisy, Chives Salvias, Zinnias, Bee Balm, Chives, Echinacea, Aster, Cosmos, Sunflowers, Holly Hock, and Phlox. All of these are useful in bringing butterflies into your garden.

Some plants that caterpillars will use to lay eggs include Parsley, Milkweed, Queen Anne's Lace, Carrots, Dill, Celery and other types of host plants. You should keep in mind that some caterpillars are very selective about where they lay their eggs so what works for one species of butterfly may not be as successful on another species.

If you are not sure which types of plants are best suited to your local climate or area, take a trip to your local nursery or co-op. The staff at these places will most often have some idea of what works and what does not. You can also do an online search to learn which plants will attract butterflies and which plants will act as good host plants for larvae. All of this can be found online with a few minutes of searching.

Once you know which plants are suitable for your garden, you can also order seeds and seedlings online. This is great way to get exactly what you want and often at a lower cost than through retail outlets. Always check for planting seasons before ordering seeds.

After you have your plants in the ground, you will be amazed at how lovely your garden becomes with the introduction of colorful and graceful butterflies.