How to Plant a Butterfly Garden
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Planting specific plants to attract and keep butterflies in your garden is beneficial for other pollinators also.
Butterflies are beautiful additions to any backyard and are also wonderful pollinators. I make sure to plant things in my garden to attract lots of butterflies each spring.
In order to do this, it's important to plant a mix of 'nectar' plants that adult butterflies love to entice them to hang around and lay their eggs.
It's equally important to provide food, also known as host plants, for the caterpillars that hatch, to provide them energy and nutrition as they grow and eventually become butterflies themselves.
In order to do this, it's important to plant a mix of 'nectar' plants that adult butterflies love to entice them to hang around and lay their eggs.
It's equally important to provide food, also known as host plants, for the caterpillars that hatch, to provide them energy and nutrition as they grow and eventually become butterflies themselves.
How to Plant a Butterfly Garden
Butterflies can actually see more colors than humans can, but they are near-sighted, so they have trouble seeing a single flower. Try planting clumps of flowers of the same color together for them to spot more easily.
Butterflies are particularly attracted to red, orange and yellow, pink and purple flowers.
Plants that attract butterflies are often the same ones that attract hummingbirds and bees, so there are multiple benefits to this type of garden.
There are lots of plants that butterflies love that aren't edible to humans or chickens, including butterfly bush, milkweed and others, but by planting edible plants, we can all share in the bounty! So I try to plant loads of edible flowers in my butterfly garden too!
Butterflies are particularly attracted to red, orange and yellow, pink and purple flowers.
Plants that attract butterflies are often the same ones that attract hummingbirds and bees, so there are multiple benefits to this type of garden.
There are lots of plants that butterflies love that aren't edible to humans or chickens, including butterfly bush, milkweed and others, but by planting edible plants, we can all share in the bounty! So I try to plant loads of edible flowers in my butterfly garden too!
Planning your Butterfly Garden
Butterflies love sunlight, so you will want to pick a sunny spot for your butterfly garden.
Stones in the garden provide a nice, warm place for the butterflies to land and sunbathe, as well as add visual interest to your garden.
It's not necessary to provide a water source, but a small bird bath makes a pretty addition to any garden and the butterflies and bees will appreciate it as well as the song birds.
Even a small area where the water puddles after a rainstorm will help to attract (and keep) pollinators in the area.
Stones in the garden provide a nice, warm place for the butterflies to land and sunbathe, as well as add visual interest to your garden.
It's not necessary to provide a water source, but a small bird bath makes a pretty addition to any garden and the butterflies and bees will appreciate it as well as the song birds.
Even a small area where the water puddles after a rainstorm will help to attract (and keep) pollinators in the area.
These are some of my favorites to plant in my Butterfly Garden. They are all edible for humans and are a nutritious addition to your chickens' diet as well.
Letting your herbs go to flower will help to attract the butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.
Letting your herbs go to flower will help to attract the butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.
Butterfly Nectar Plants
Aster
Basil
Bee Balm
Echinacea
Goldenrod
Hyssop
Lemon Balm
Marigold
Marjoram
Phlox
Pineapple Sage
Sunflower
Zinnia
Caterpillar Host/Food Plants
Borage
Carrots
Clover
Daisy
Dill
Fennel
Milkweed
Nasturtium
Parsley
Peas
Violets
To some extent, what you want to choose to plant in your butterfly garden will depend on the types of butterflies in your area - or the types that you want to attract.
For example, Monarch caterpillars eat the milkweed leaves, black swallowtail caterpillars eat dill, parsley, carrot and fennel, while painted lady caterpillars eat thistles leaves.
For example, Monarch caterpillars eat the milkweed leaves, black swallowtail caterpillars eat dill, parsley, carrot and fennel, while painted lady caterpillars eat thistles leaves.
Try planting some of these plants in your garden this spring and see if you can attract some butterflies.
And remember, don't use pesticides or herbicides in your garden... the butterflies don't like them and they're not good for your family or chickens either!
And remember, don't use pesticides or herbicides in your garden... the butterflies don't like them and they're not good for your family or chickens either!
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References/Further reading:
https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/7151e/
Health benefits of some common culinary herbs
http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2014/06/plant-edible-flower-garden-for-your.html
