Nothing adds to the beauty of a flowering garden more than butterflies fluttering about on a warm summer day. If attracting butterflies to your garden is what you'd like to achieve, there are a few things you can do to accomplish this. Butterflies have a very keen sense of smell and can smell flowers many miles away. If the right flowers are planted in your garden, then butterflies are going to flock to it. Not only does smell attract them but colors do as well. They tend to like purple, yellow, pink and white flowers.
To attract butterflies, you will need to keep a few things in mind. Butterflies need sunshine to keep warm, and most of the flowers that attract them need sunshine, too. Make sure when you select a location for the garden that it's in a sunny area. Adding rocks and bricks for the butterflies to bask in the sun will keep the butterflies close to your yard.
When selecting your plants, choose a variety of plants so that there are always flowers blooming at all times during the summer. If you plant all of the same type flower and they bloom and die, the butterflies will leave. Here are some of the plants that attract butterflies the most
Daylily
Iris
Lavender
Milkweed
Petunia
Phlox
Asters
Butterfly bush
Heliotrope
Cosmos
Clover
Zinnia
Different breeds of butterflies will be attracted to different flowers so keeping a variety of flowers will also bring in a variety of butterflies. Butterflies need nectar to live so keeping a constant supply available will keep the butterflies in your garden all summer. They will also need water so place a plate with water on it so the butterflies can get a drink when they need it. Keep in mind that the types of flowers you select will depend on whether the butterflies begin to lay eggs and then reproduce in your garden. Watching a caterpillar transform into a butterfly is one of the most fascinating things to witness. If you have children, this can be an educational experience you can share with them.
The biggest problem people encounter when trying to attract butterflies is that some gardeners will use pesticides to control garden pests. If you're trying to attract butterflies you can't use any pesticides at all. The poison will kill the butterflies off as well as the other insects. Weed killers will also harm butterflies so avoid using them as well.
For those that live in an apartment and don't have access to a yard, you can make a window box and plant flowers for the butterflies. Because of their sharp sense of smell, the butterflies will find the flowers you plant in there even if you live higher than the first floor. Just make sure you place the window box in a sunny area, and make sure it's secured. I've known people who have had window/flower boxes on their balconies that attract butterflies as high up as the 10th floor. For an altitude like that you need to put up something as a wind shield because the butterflies wings are fragile and high winds will damage their wings.
To attract butterflies, you will need to keep a few things in mind. Butterflies need sunshine to keep warm, and most of the flowers that attract them need sunshine, too. Make sure when you select a location for the garden that it's in a sunny area. Adding rocks and bricks for the butterflies to bask in the sun will keep the butterflies close to your yard.
When selecting your plants, choose a variety of plants so that there are always flowers blooming at all times during the summer. If you plant all of the same type flower and they bloom and die, the butterflies will leave. Here are some of the plants that attract butterflies the most
Daylily
Iris
Lavender
Milkweed
Petunia
Phlox
Asters
Butterfly bush
Heliotrope
Cosmos
Clover
Zinnia
Different breeds of butterflies will be attracted to different flowers so keeping a variety of flowers will also bring in a variety of butterflies. Butterflies need nectar to live so keeping a constant supply available will keep the butterflies in your garden all summer. They will also need water so place a plate with water on it so the butterflies can get a drink when they need it. Keep in mind that the types of flowers you select will depend on whether the butterflies begin to lay eggs and then reproduce in your garden. Watching a caterpillar transform into a butterfly is one of the most fascinating things to witness. If you have children, this can be an educational experience you can share with them.
The biggest problem people encounter when trying to attract butterflies is that some gardeners will use pesticides to control garden pests. If you're trying to attract butterflies you can't use any pesticides at all. The poison will kill the butterflies off as well as the other insects. Weed killers will also harm butterflies so avoid using them as well.
For those that live in an apartment and don't have access to a yard, you can make a window box and plant flowers for the butterflies. Because of their sharp sense of smell, the butterflies will find the flowers you plant in there even if you live higher than the first floor. Just make sure you place the window box in a sunny area, and make sure it's secured. I've known people who have had window/flower boxes on their balconies that attract butterflies as high up as the 10th floor. For an altitude like that you need to put up something as a wind shield because the butterflies wings are fragile and high winds will damage their wings.
Original painting by Beez
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