How to Create a Butterfly Garden

Butterflies are beautiful. There are more than 700 species of butterflies found in North America. Welcome these brightly colored friends to your landscape with plants that serve their needs.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flowering Plants
• Sun

1. Choose plants that butterflies are attracted to such as: purple coneflower, dill, hollyhock, joe-pye weed, peony, yarrow, zinnias, marigolds, buddleia, verbena, gay feather, butterfly weed, petunia, aster, sedum, rock cress, daylily, and nasturtium.
   
   Flowers of similar colors grouped together are most attractive to butterflies. Your butterfly garden will need at least 6 hours of full sun each day.

2. Butterflies prefer to feed and lay eggs in sheltered areas. A row of shrubs close to the butterfly garden can make an effective shelter for these beautiful insects.

3. Do not use insecticides of any kind in or near your butterfly garden. Increase natural enemies such as spiders and ladybugs to help control unwanted garden pests.

Tips & Warnings

• Group like-colored plants together.
• Allow your butterfly garden at least 6 hours of full-sun each day.
• Do not use harmful chemical insecticides in or around your butterfly garden.

[Tippy]

on 6/7/2008 Thank you for the great info.