Summer Gardening for the Butterflies

There are many different reasons that different people decide to plant summer gardens. One common reason that is becoming more popular these days as people to seek to entertain their children through little things done closer to home is to attract butterflies. This is much easier done than one might think if you live in the right environment for these lovely insects to thrive and flourish.

Michaelmas Daisies attract a lot of butterflies and bees.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Butterflies are beautiful creatures with very short life spans, and maybe it's for this reason that they seem to be attracted to beautiful things during their short lives. Brightly colored flowers attract butterflies in droves. This means that flowers such as aster, marigold, black-eyed Susan, and butterfly weed are all known to attract butterflies.

Another thing you may wish to consider when selecting flowers for the purpose of attracting these delightful winged creatures to your summer garden is the nectar. This is the essential food for butterflies so a garden that is filled with more nectar-producing flowers is likely to garner more than its fair share of attention from the butterflies nearby. The greater the selection of nectar-producing flowers the greater the number of butterflies your garden is likely to attract so be sure to plant plenty and prune them in a manner that produces maximum flowers for maximum impact.

In addition to the flowers in your summer garden there are other methods that may be used to attract butterflies to the delight of young and old alike. One of those methods is by placing a several pieces of ripe fruit in your garden. This is another treat for butterflies to enjoy and will attract many that may be in the area.

One thing to remember when planting to attract butterflies is that they do adore worshipping the sun. This means that shady types of gardens aren't best suited for attracting them and won't keep them around for long even if a few happen by. Plant your butterfly garden in an area that benefits from the full force of the sun most of the day in order to entertain the most possible butterflies, and keep in mind that different butterflies are attracted to different plants both as caterpillars and as butterflies. A little further study may produce the best results when seeking the most suitable plants for your butterfly garden depending on the type of butterflies you most hope to attract.

 Monarch butterfly(Danaus plexippus) on a Zinnia Flower - Zinnias are favored by butterflies, many gardeners add zinnias specifically to attract them. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You should also avoid using pesticides in a flower garden built to attract butterflies. It wouldn't make sense to attract butterflies to your garden only to harm them through exposing them to chemicals while paying your summer garden a visit. Employ organic gardening methods in your butterfly garden for the best results.

You should also make sure there is a source of water nearby in order to keep the butterflies well hydrated. They need water just like any other animal. Many gardens these days add water features that keep the water moving (best for avoiding mosquito infestations) while having it freely available for the animals that we are hoping to attract such as birds and butterflies.

Our summer gardens are an investment of both time and attention. It is great when we can accomplish more than one beautiful result from our hard work and effort. A summer garden designed to attract butterflies is a great way to achieve just that.

Resources on Butterfly Gardening: 
   

More About Butterfly Gardening

When creating a butterfly garden, the possibilities of what to include in your butterfly garden design are endless. Below are some suggestions to help get you started. They are designed to spark the creative process of your mind and get you started on your way to creating a lovely butterfly garden.

Cover of Creating a Butterfly GardenBefore you even begin your butterfly garden, find out which species of butterflies are in your area. Consider taking an exploratory hike around your location with a butterfly identification book. This may take a little extra time and effort, but the results will be worth it. After you have compiled your list of local butterfly species, be sure to write down in your butterfly garden plan what these particular species of butterflies use for nectar and food plants. (And check out the cool resource shown here for more help creating your butterfly garden.)

Be sure that your garden is in a location that provides at least six hours of sunlight per day. Butterflies are cold-blooded creatures and therefore do better where they are warm and sheltered.

Wind can be a butterfly's worst enemy so be sure to have plenty of wind protection in your design. You can plant tall shrubs and other plants in order to create a wind break, but a location that avoids heavy winds is even better.

Image via WikipediaThe best of all would be a butterfly garden placed on the sunny side of your home with windbreaks on both the west and east sides, or wherever the prevailing winds come from in your area. Try and locate your garden close to a window so you can view the butterflies from indoors. Provide seating outside too.

If possible, you could excavate an area and build a stone wall around it. This would create the ideal windbreak for your butterflies. Make gravel pathways around your garden to save walking in mud.

There are many creative ways for constructing a butterfly garden. Take your time to design a garden that you will enjoy and be proud of.

Video - Butterfly Garden Tips

Here is a short video with some informative tips on creating a welcoming habitat for your butterfly garden. You will learn about host plants, nectar plants, and choosing a good location for your butterfly garden, as well as some info on the reduced population of butterflies, and what you can do to help.

Check it out, and get started building your own beautiful butterfly garden!

Butterfly Garden
Learn how to create the ideal butterfly garden to attract these beautiful creatures to your backyard with Master Gardener Molly Sturniolo.

 Related Articles on Butterfly Gardening:

• Butterfly Garden (riosambagardeningjournal.wordpress.com)
• Attracting Butterflies-Don't Forget The Host Plants! (mistkits.com)
• Gardeners urged to save butterflies (independent.co.uk)

Some Books on Butterfly Gardening: