Butterfly Gardens

Attracting Butterflies to a Garden

Butterflies are some of the most beautiful and interesting creatures on Earth. I found simple joy in watching butterflies dance around my garden and yard. A butterfly garden is an easy way to see more butterflies and to help them, since many natural butterfly habitats have been lost to human activities like building homes, roads and farms. It is easy to increase the number and variety of butterflies in your yard. Simply grow the plants the caterpillars like to eat, and plants that adult butterflies feed on!

Here is a list of adult butterfly friendly plants:

  • Alyssum
  • Aster
  • Bee balm
  • Butterfly bush
  • Calendula
  • Cosmos
  • Daylily
  • Delphinium
  • Dianthus
  • Fennel
  • Globe thistle
  • Goldenrod
  • Hollyhock
  • Lavender
  • Liatris
  • Marigold
  • Musk mallow
  • Nasturtium
  • Oregano
  • Phlox
  • Purple coneflower
  • Queen Anne’s lace
  • Sage
  • Scabiosa
  • Shasta daisy
  • Stonecrop
  • Verbena
  • Yarrow
  • Zinnia

Here is a list of caterpillar friendly plants:

  • Borage
  • Fennel
  • Grasses
  • Hollyhocks
  • Lupine
  • Milkweed
  • Nettle
  • Thistle
  • Willow

So, if you want to see more butterflies this summer think about planting plants that attract butterflies and caterpillars.

Happy Gardening!
Mary Church