How to Create a Butterfly Garden

To create the kind of environment that they find attractive, you will also need to introduce some kind of water source to your garden. Birdbaths work great for this and you can find relatively inexpensive models for under $20. A birdbath will look attractive and keep the butterflies up off the ground, away from stray cats or mischievous puppies. It also adds a little touch of decor. A shallow dish on a post or hung in a tree will also meet this requirement.

Keep in mind it can take until the following season for your garden to come together like the pictures you see of butterfly gardens. Some of the gardens shown have been growing for a few years and are considered established gardens.



 Butterflies are attracted to those flowers that have nectar rather than pollen, like Honeysuckle, Milkweed, Summer Lilac, Valerian, Daisies, Purple Cone-flower, Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata),  Yellow Sage, Day lilies, Pentas, Lantana (Lantana camara), Lavender (Lavendula)
Marigold,  Butterfly bush and Butterfly weed.

Garden plan