Lawn & Garden - Butterfly Garden Plants
About Butterfly Garden Plants
Attracting Butterflies to Your Garden
Butterflies are one of the most beautiful insect species that you can attract to your garden with the correct types of flowers and plants to feed off the nectar. Many home gardeners receive a great joy to see butterflies fluttering in their garden and see it as a most enjoyable and relaxing way to spend time in the garden and many take the opportunity to make it a favorite past time in the way of a hobby. For the photographer at heart, taking images of butterflies feeding of the colorful flowers is so magical in capturing the moment and producing spectacular images. How You Can Attract Butterflies In To Your Garden?
The most important aspects of firstly attracting butterflies in to your garden are you must plant the correct butterfly garden plant and flowers. Host plants and host flowers are crucial as this is where the butterflies lay their eggs, knowing that during metamorphism stages when the egg becomes a caterpillar it will eat the leaf where the egg was originally laid. The nectar of the flower, plant, shrub or trees is what the butterflies are attracted to as a way of feeding and will continually return during the warmer months of the year. If you are considering of having your own butterfly garden, here are some suggestions and considerations that you can implement into a new garden or an existing garden. They are:
- Growing rich nectar flowers, plants, shrubs and trees in the garden
- Ensure you provide water close by, as butterflies also require water to survive, a sandy bucket filled with water is a suitable choice
- Make sure the garden receives part sun and part shade as butterflies need to the sun to warm their bodies but also need shade to cool off during high temperatures
- Make sure the garden is protected from high winds as wind can be a distraction where they will not feed off the plants
- Plant tall trees or plants at the back of the butterfly garden that will protect the butterflies from wind
- DO NOT APPLY ANY PESTICIDES OR INSECTICIDES TO THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN PLANTS
Types of Garden Plants and Flowers That Will Attract Butterflies
There are several butterfly garden plants that you can plant into your garden that will attract and invite the butterflies regularly. The following are some types of flower and plant species to do just that:
- Sunflower
- Zinnias
- Purple coneflowers
- Butterfly Bush
- Sage
- Lilac
- Bee Balm
- Dill
- Petunia
- Goldenrod
- Yarrow
- Turtlehead
- Hollyhock
- Tawny Daylily
- Blanket Flower
- Lavender
- Queen Ann Lace
- Verbena
- Lavender
Most Nursery Centers can also assist you with the recommended flower and plant species that are more suitable to plant in your region that will result in a successful butterfly garden. There are also garden magazines available that have specific information on how to grow a butterfly gardens with very useful information and handy tips on what you should or should not do.
