A butterfly garden that is well-planned attracts many different types of butterfly and provides a soothing and beautiful place to relax. By considering the needs of both adult and larval butterfly forms and tailoring your garden accordingly, you will ensure its success and keep attracting butterflies year after year.
Butterfly Life Cycle
The butterfly's life cycle is a consideration when planning a butterfly garden. The life cycle includes four stages: egg, caterpillar, pupa (chrysalis stage in which the caterpillar transforms) and adult. Females lay their eggs on or close to a host plant, which is the plant that provides food and shelter for the caterpillars. When it is time to form a chrysalis or cocoon, the caterpillars will attach it to a leaf or twig on the host plant.
Caterpillar Needs
These host plants should be an integral part of any butterfly garden. They may not be as pretty as plants that produce nectar for adult butterflies and may not even attract feeding adults, but they are an essential part of the butterfly's life cycle and should not be ignored. Adults may be attracted to the garden by nectar plants, but they won't stay or reproduce if no host plants are present.
Because each species of butterfly has its own requirements for host plants, you will need to plant a different one for each species you want to attract. Unless you have a lot of space, you will need to choose which species these will be. You can research butterfly species in your area by looking up the online Butterflies and Moths of North America map or similar resources.
Nectar for Adult Butterflies
Most butterfly species feed on flower nectar, and each species has its own preferences regarding color, flower size and flower shape. Some species hover above the flower to feed, while others need to rest on the flower. For this reason, you should plan your garden with as many different colors and types of flowers as space will allow. This has the added benefit of making your garden more visually attractive.
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 | Spring flowering bulbs exuberantly herald the end of winter with bright blasts of color like fireworks in slow motion. When we squirrel away these gems in the fall, we almost forget about them. Then they pleasantly surprise us as they emerge the following spring when everything else is still drab and barren. |
 | Tall perennials play a number of roles in the landscape. A tall perennial makes a great accent plant, calling attention to itself as it towers over the garden. A mass of tall perennials makes the perfect backdrop for a well-designed bed. Tall perennials are also perfect for covering bare walls or fences. Tall perennials can also form natural screens or borders to create private outdoor spaces. |
If you are interested to know how to prepare your garden bed for annuals, don't worry it is not a difficult task and you will find it very easy and interesting job. It requires a little art and creativity to have blooms in your garden bed with a variety of colors such as pink, red, orange, purple and yellow. |
Flower shows are an invaluable resource for gardeners, from the novice to the most experienced. |
