I believe many of us take nature for granted and really don’t realize how important some of our insects are for our existence. Second to bees, butterflies are important for pollination for our food sources. They are also a good indicator of our environmental health. Butterflies love the sun because they are cold blooded and need that warmth. Butterflies drink from the nectar of flowers and feed off of the sap of trees and rotting organic material. Therefore, it is important where and how you create a butterfly garden to entice them into your garden.
Tips for a Butterfly Garden:
Know your area by going to a local nursery and ask questions on which flowering plants will attract butterflies. Every region is different in the United States. I live in Florida and I might not want the same plant that attracts butterflies in Georgia for my Florida yard because they won’t grow here as a result of how hot and dry our climate can get. You may assume by looking at the plant zones is all you need. However, the plant zones only inform you on the lowest cold temperature in winter, which is only a small part of growing plants. There are other things to consider like heat, exposure to sunlight, if your drainage is good, how much rainfall there is, the soil type, and of course the soil PH.
Get a variety of species of plants and color. The more variety you plant the more variety of butterflies you will get in your yard.
Select sunny areas which will attract butterflies because they prefer the warmth of the sun.
Make sure you have some water nearby in a shallow bowl, so they can rest on the edge without falling in.
The most important factor to attract butterflies is the food for them. Larval plants will attract and sustain the butterfly in your area. This will encourage them to remain in your area. Here in Florida, there are many choices, like parsley, dill, fennel, cassia plants and variety of milkweeds just to name a few. I plant them behind flowering bushes because the larvae plant will get eaten up and the flowering bush can cover it.
In Florida, we can have a butterfly garden just about year round. Therefore, those of you that live in warm climates you should make sure adequate nectar plants are in bloom all times of the year.
If you can get your neighbor to add some butterfly attracting plants and food, then you will have more varieties of butterflies between yards. It’s always best in numbers.
You should also plant some thick foliage nearby or put some large rocks, or other safe places for nearby shelter against rain and wind. If you have ever wondered where butterflies sleep at night, that’s your answer.
There is nothing more pleasurable than to sit outside and observe nature at its best. Most of all you are contributing to the good of our environment. Now, you might be thinking of sugar plum fairies today. However, tomorrow you could see butterflies if you plan ahead.
