BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Gardening A Butterfly Garden!

Hi Everyone:

If anyone has any tips on creating a butterfly garden - please pass them my way.

Much appreciated!!!!

You must plant flowers or plants that butterflies love. One that i know of off the top of my hand is the shrub Buddleia which is called the Butterfly Bush.

You are awesome Elizabeth - thank you!

Make sure that you leave some milkweed, if you want Monarchs.

Lavender, Sage, Coneflower, Black Eyed Susan, Butterfly Bush, and Shasta Daisy among other things in my garden. It depends on your area, though, since different butterfly species like different plants. Employees at the two garden centers I go to are great about sharing tips for plants that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Often the plants have a tag that shows a little butterfly symbol if they attract butterflies in your area.

Hello there,

Besides looking good and their being a sign of a healthy garden, butteflies are also very good pollinators like bees, so attracting them really makes sense beyond their beauty.

Don't forget to place some shallow saucers or hollow stones in some shady places ... your butterlies will say thanks by visiting regularly. They certainly need a water source too and will fly past a garden without one.

Cheers now

Thanks everyone - I will keep you posted on how things go.

I grew the most beautiful butterfly bush when I lived in Oregon but the last two I've bought died. Any good tips?

I can't grow butterfly bushes either, they never make it through the winter. I tried keeping one indoors all winter and it languished and only bloomed reluctantly at the end of the summer. This is in Northern Indiana. When I go to Cape Cod I envy the huge butterfly bushes there, full of blooms! Obviously they don't like to get colder than about 10 above zero.

Wow, it is nice to know this - thanks!

My garden will be started when I get my own place again. Right now I am staying with my adult daughter while I do this.

Talk soon