Ready Made Plans for a Florida Butterfly Garden

County Extensions

• The University of Florida, based in Gainesville, works in tandem with many counties to provide county extension services, which frequently have demonstration butterfly gardens. These offices also participate in the Florida Yards and Neighborhood Program, which helps gardeners plan their landscape. The planning tools and the program itself encourage gardeners to use drought-tolerant landscape plants and lists drought-tolerant plants that attract butterflies.

Schools

• Many of Florida's flowering shrubs that attract butterflies are drought tolerant. In an effort to teach schoolchildren about xeric, or drought-tolerant, landscaping, many elementary schools -- both public and private -- plan and plant butterfly gardens. Often an inquiry at the school's office will lead you to free plans that you can use in your own yard.

Internet

• With a little legwork, Florida gardeners can find ready-made butterfly garden plans on the web. State lepidopterist organizations, individual websites and some county extension offices offer ready-made plans or basic landscape layouts. Many of these plans are free.