Attracting butterflies to your
garden is easy. Select foliage plants as food for the larvae or
caterpillar, and flowering plants to provide nectar for adults.
Butterflies are attracted by fragrance, flower-shape and color. As
they travel from flower to flower they collect and transfer pollen.
Choose a location with plenty of
sun and protection from strong winds. A planting along a wall,
building or hedge is ideal. Because butterflies are cold-blooded, they
need to warm themselves on cool mornings before they can fly. Add a
supply of dark rocks or mass of dark pebbles to collect the morning sun for
the butterflies to rest and warm up. Sink a container full of sand or gravel
into the ground and keep it moist. This will serve as a resting spot
for some to drink and obtain minerals
Start your butterfly bed by
improving the soil. Till Calloway’s 100% Organic Compost into your
garden soil. After planting, mulch your flowerbeds with 3 to 4 inches
of Calloway’s premium mulches. You will eliminate weeding, reduce
watering, keep the soil from cracking, and protect roots of plants by
maintaining cooler soil temperatures.
Butterflies are mostly active in
mid and late summer, so you should make sure that you have lots of
nectar-rich plants and flowers blooming by then. If you plant large
sections of flowers that are the same color, it will make it easier for them
to find your garden. You should plant flowers that will bloom at
different times of the year and ones that bloom even at different times of
the day and night, this way, you will always have something in bloom and
they will always be attracting butterflies. Attached is a list of
plants which do well in Butterfly gardens.
With a little planning, you can create a garden that will attract butterflies. There is a world of exotic butterflies out there flying freely so offer a haven to these fabulous creatures and happy watching!