Researching butterfly gardening has been a great pass time of mine ever since. I became interested just in the idea alone, that you could attract such beauties to your own outdoor living space. Many people don't realize that butterflies are great pollinators, as we usually think of bees as doing the pollinating. So its good for our environment to support these pollinators as well.
In short, you want to provide nectar flowers that butterflies are attracted to. Planting red and purple flowers are often attractive to butterflies, and even hummingbirds. Also, you want to provide the plants that attract butterflies for a place to lay their eggs for their young to hatch out onto. When the butterfly larva emerge from the eggs, they go right to eating the leaves of the plant, or vine, so they can grow into and change into a beautiful butterfly later on.
Other helpful tips are to have a water source, especially if there are rocks there, say half way in and out of the water. The butterflies need water to survive. They love warm spots to rest, which rocks, dirt, and wood provide, anything really where there is sunshine and not too much wind. If you can, put up hedges for fences, or other plants and grasses that protect the garden from gusts of wind. Inside this area, plant all kinds of wildflowers that you like, as well as and maybe especially native plants and flowers to your area. This will really help the butterflies there and want to come around.
Thank you so much for stopping by, and reading my ideas and experiences in butterfly gardening. I hope you enjoy the pictures I have shared as well. It is very worth encouraging the lives of these beautiful creatures that bring so much joy to our lives.
Below, some more of my photography in a slideshow
