The Joy of a Butterfly Garden
Butterflies in the garden, what could be better? When
starting a butterfly garden consider that you have to meet the need of the delicate-looking
creatures. You have to provided food, water, shelter and a nursery for their "babies."
When you do your homework and plan correctly, you will be rewarded with butterflies all a
flutter.
Although your are primarily attracting butterflies native
to your geographic area, a well-designed garden will attract many migrating butterflies.
Wouldn't it be great to see a monarch on her way from Central America to your backyard.
You can certainly plan a colorful selection of flowering
plants, but keep in mind that it is not the color that is important to your wanted guests,
it is the nectar. It is nectar-rich flowers needed for energy needs they are really
after. Color attract them, but nectar makes them happy. Instead of selecting
common plants like geraniums or petunias, which are certainly colorful, pick flower rich in
nectar. Zinnias, my favorite, cosmos and verbena serve a dual purpose - nectar and
color.
The challenge in designing a butterfly garden is to provide
food for the four stages in the
life-cycle of a
butterfly -- (egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult (butterfly).
Keep in mind too that the adult butterflies that visit your garden are not only looking for
food but also for a place to start their nursery (lay their eggs). The plants in your
butterfly garden must provide: a nectar source, host plants, and shelter.
The nursery is placed on plants that the emerged
caterpillars will consume. When the caterpillars are full they form a cocoon and
change into an adult. The adult life as a is only about two short weeks.
When picking the variety of plants choose those that bloom
at different times of the season. This will make your garden a lot more attractive to
a wider assortment of butterflies. It is best if you plant the same kind flowers
in clusters. Places plants in such a way that you have several different colors and
flower heights in your garden.
See partial plant list
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