Butterfly Gardens
Plant your garden in full sun. Flowering plants need sun to make food for themselves, and nectar for butterflies. Butterflies also need sun to warm their bodies for flight.
Plant butterfly-attracting flowers with strong scents, where they drink sweet, energy-rich nectar. Select plants that are native to your area as they attract local butterflies.
Include host plants. Butterflies lay their eggs on host plants that the emerging caterpillars will eat. The sight of a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis will more than make up for chewed leaves.
Use colourful plants. Butterflies seem to prefer red, orange, yellow purple, and dark pink. A large colourful garden is easy for butterflies to find, and encourages them to stay longer.
Don't use chemical pesticides. Try planting marigolds, petunias, mint and other herbs that naturally repel pests. Encourage ladybugs and dragonflies to dine in your garden.
Also see the North American Native Plant Society's pdf file on butterfly gardening. http://www.nanps.org/pdfs/butterfact.pdf
Plant butterfly-attracting flowers with strong scents, where they drink sweet, energy-rich nectar. Select plants that are native to your area as they attract local butterflies.
Include host plants. Butterflies lay their eggs on host plants that the emerging caterpillars will eat. The sight of a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis will more than make up for chewed leaves.
Use colourful plants. Butterflies seem to prefer red, orange, yellow purple, and dark pink. A large colourful garden is easy for butterflies to find, and encourages them to stay longer.
Don't use chemical pesticides. Try planting marigolds, petunias, mint and other herbs that naturally repel pests. Encourage ladybugs and dragonflies to dine in your garden.
Also see the North American Native Plant Society's pdf file on butterfly gardening. http://www.nanps.org/pdfs/butterfact.pdf