Butterfly Gardens

"To make a wish come true, whisper it to a butterfly.
Upon these wings it will be taken to heaven and granted.
For they are the messengers of the Great Spirit."
~ Native American Legend ~

Butterflies, with their colourful costumes and their frilly aerobatics are beautiful and entertaining visitors to our gardens. If you would like to attract these lovely creatures to your garden there are a few things that you can do.

1. Good Placement.

Butterflies are cold blooded creatures and need the sun to warm their wings. For this reason, they prefer a sunny site that is protected from the wind. Large plants and shrubs around the perimeter of a garden will help to provide this protection. A large flat rock in a garden provides a warm spot for basking. They may frequently be seen just sitting on the rock, with their wings spread, soaking up the sun's rays.

2. Nectar Source.

Nectar is a sugar-rich substance that is required for energy used in flight. Therefore butterfly attracting plants include those that are sun-loving and produce nectar. It is recommended that you plant in groups of one colour rather than single plants of differing colours. Select a variety of nectar producing plants to provide flowers in bloom throughout the season. It is especially important to have flowers in mid to late summer, when most butterflies are active. Annuals bloom continuously through the season and are always a good choice. They seem to prefer pink, purple, or white flowers and single flowers rather than double blooms. Supplementary nectar may be provided through small bits of fruit , such as apples, bananas , or citrus.

3. Butterfly Puddles

Butterflies also require a water supply. For this reason, it is a good idea to provide a "butterfly puddle". Butterflies will congregate at the puddle and drink the standing water to obtain necessary minerals. A container filled with water and then buried in the dirt may do the trick. Or you may prefer to just make shallow impressions in the soil and allow them to fill following a rain or watering session.

4. Reduce the Use of Pesticides

It only makes sense that if you wish to draw these creatures to your home, you must stop use of pesticides.

 

 

Next Week: Lure butterflies into your garden with the right plants.

By Colleen Blouin

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