Necessities for a Butterfly Garden

Food

• Adult butterflies feed on the nectar of flowers growing in your garden and will be drawn to native flowering plants in blooming colors of yellow, red, orange, pink or purple that grow in clusters, or have flat tops and have short flower tubes. Native plants provide the correct type of nectar for local butterflies, and the foliage will be suitable for the caterpillars. Butterflies prefer to feed from flowers growing in the sun, not shade. You will need to plan your butterfly garden to grow a variety of flowering plants that will be in bloom at different times during the growing season to ensure there will be a continuous supply of food for your butterflies. Typical flowers for a butterfly garden are marigolds, verbena, zinnias, milkweed, tithonia, and buddleia.

Water

• Butterflies do not actually drink water in the traditional manner, but do need a water source. Ideally, sandy puddles will provide the water and minerals butterflies need. You can designate an area in your garden or yard, making your own sandy puddle or moist soil spot to accommodate your butterflies. Place several flat rocks near your puddle spot so the butterflies can rest and sun themselves.

Shelter

• Shelter for butterflies, caterpillars, and larvae are important for protection from heat, rain, wind and predators and provides a place for butterflies to sleep. Plants that have a heavier or thick foliage can provide this and should be planted near or among your feeding plants. Daisies, asters, liatris, petunias, purple coneflowers, verbena, and milkweed are often used for shelter plants in a butterfly garden.

Host Plants

• Host plants are as vital to your butterfly garden as the feeding nectar plants, because these plants are where the butterfly lays eggs, which will guarantee that butterflies continue to visit your garden. Host plants should be grown close to the feeding plants. Generally, native plants and small shrubs are common host plants for butterflies, because these are the plants that are available in a butterfly's natural environment.