Planting a butterfly garden is the perfect way to attract the prettiest butterflies in town!
A butterfly garden can be both practical and attractive, so why not consider a butterfly garden for your flower bed?
- The first thing to do when planning your butterfly garden is to check out the amount of sunlight the bed receives each day. The best scenario is a location which receives about six hours of sunlight each day, preferably in the morning and early afternoon.
- The best part of planting a successful butterfly garden is the myriad of plant and flower choices available. Your butterfly garden may not only attract butterflies, but also the attention of the neighborhood!
- Butterfly gardens must have two types of plants and flowers to be successful: one type that supplies nectar for the butterflies and one type that serves as a host plant on which the butterflies will feed and lay their eggs.
- You may want to choose a single color, or closely related colors when planning out your butterfly garden. Research has shown that butterflies are attracted to large areas of a single color than those areas with many different colors.
- Choose your flowering plants carefully, as most butterflies prefer to land on clusters of short, tubular flowers or flowers with large, flat petals.
- Choose a wide variety of flowers that bloom at different times of the year, as most butterflies are active from early spring all the way up until the first frost. Keep them coming by providing a wide variety of blooming plants and flowers throughout the growing season.
- Consider native plants for your flower garden. Since they are naturally found in your particular area, you have a better chance of having a successful butterfly garden that butterflies are attracted to and one that they will feed and lay their eggs on.
- Choose a few, flat stones or rocks for your butterfly garden, as butterflies often look for smooth, reflective surfaces on which to warm their wings every morning. This feature will provide a lovely sight every morning as the butterflies warm their wings for flight!
- Many butterflies eat more than nectar, so encourage butterflies with rotting fruit or a small amount of manure. Choose a rotting banana or a piece of watermelon, as most butterflies are attracted to rotting fruit that is either soft or moist.
- Avoid pesticides! If your butterfly garden is being overrun by insects, go natural to eliminate them. Some of the best choices include introducing lady bugs, lacewings or preying mantises to the garden. If this doesn’t solve the problem, talk with a local horticulturalist about organic pest controls.
Some of the best perennial plants for your butterfly garden include:
- Asters
- Black-Eyed Susans
- Butterfly Weeds
- Coneflowers
- Hollyhocks
- Milkweed
- Hibiscus
- Verbena
- Sage
- Mountain Mint
- Goldenrod
- Yarrow
Some of the best trees and shrubs for your butterfly garden include:
- Blueberry
- Pear
- Plum
- Redbud
- Summersweet
- Viburnum
- Buttonbush
Some of the best annuals and biennials for your butterfly garden include:
- Cosmos
- Impatients
- Marigold
- Sunflowers
- Zinnias
