Butterflies are flowers with wings. These winged beauties delight our hearts as they flutter around in our garden. If you are designing a ‘Butterfly Garden,’ then you need to pay attention to some of the following points.
CLIMATE
Butterflies usually make their appearance in the spring once temperatures are above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and stay around through autumn. Butterflies fly best when their body temperature is between 85 and 100 degrees. If temperatures dip below 80 degrees, you may spot butterflies basking in the sun with their wings outstretched, absorbing the heat. A flat rock is often included in butterfly gardens for this purpose.
SHELTER
Butterflies require a sheltered location to rest and seek protection from bad weather. During the night they roost on the underside of leaves or hide in shrubs and tall grasses.
PUDDLES
Often times you will observe a crowd of butterflies around puddles of water, this is known as “puddling.” It is thought that butterflies are attracted to puddles because they contain and dissolve minerals in which butterflies need to supplement their diet. You may think about placing a shallow birdbath or shallow dish in your garden to attract butterflies.
HIBERNATION
Except for the migratory Monarch butterfly, most butterflies hibernate at the same place that they spend their summer. Butterflies look for places such as loose bark, wood piles, or buildings to hibernate in. Some butterflies over-winter as adults, others as pupa and some as caterpillars. Many people like to place a “Butterfly House” in their gardens, meant to provide shelter to some species for hibernation. Situate your “Butterfly House” in the woodiest section of your garden, near a host plant to increase your chances of occupation.
Shrubs, Trees, Perennials and Annuals that are suitable for a BUTTERFLY GARDEN
Butterflies play an important role in pollinating plants. They thrive around shrubs, trees, perennials and annuals that provide them nectar. It is a sugary solution that gives adult butterflies their energy. However, a sensible butterfly garden designer also thinks of the caterpillars. They do not eat nectar but live on leaves and plants. Shrubs, trees, vegetables and even pesky weeds are host plants for caterpillars. Female butterflies lay their eggs only on suitable host plants as the emerging young ones cannot travel far to find food. Since caterpillars heavily munch on the plants, it may be a wise gardening strategy to plant them in areas of the garden that are not easily visible to visitors.
Butterfly Shrubs and Trees
Abelia (glossy)
Buddleia or Butterfly Bush (Buddleia Davidii)
Blueberry (Vaccinium species)
Citrus
Hawthorn (Crataegus species)
Privet (Ligustrum spp.)
Red bud (Crecis)
Butterfly Annuals
Cosmos
Dill
Fennel
Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena globosa)
Impatiens
Marigolds
Nasturtium
Parsley
Sunflower
Queen Anne’s lace
Verbena
Zinnia
Butterfly Perennials
| Ageratum Aster Bee-balm (Monarda) Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) Bugle (Ajuga Reptans) Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Chives Coneflower (Echinacea purperea) Coreopsis Daylily (Hemerocallis species) False Indigo (Baptisia australis) Gayfeather (Liatris species) | Godenrod (Solidago species) Hibiscus Hollyhock (Altheaa rosea) Joe-Pye Weed Lantana (Lantana camara) Lobelia (Lobelia cardinalis) Milkweed (Asclepias species) Passion Flower (Passiflora) Phlox (Phlox paniculata) Sage (Salvia leucantha) Sedum Verbena Yarrow (Achillea species) |
