Make your microsite tailored for butterfly gardens

How to make a butterfly garden Find a location with at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight. Choose an area equal to 100 square feet (roughly 10 feet 10 feet). Plant lots of flowers! Combine nectar and caterpillar food sources. Plant at least 10 plants of two different species to increase butterfly numbers.

Choose a mix of trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals. Create layers for butterflies to discover nectar sources at different levels. Some butterflies seek out nectar higher up, while others prefer to feed closer to the ground.

Fill the container with sand. Place a few rocks and twigs on the sand to provide landing sites within reach of the water. Then fill the container with water to the level of the sand. Such puddles are those sought by butterflies, not birdbaths, ponds, or large water features.

Butterfly gardens are best planted in the spring with younger plants or in the fall with mature plants that will become dormant quickly and re-emerge in the spring. It is best not to plant in the heat of summer or the cold of winter.

25 BUTTERFLY GARDEN PLANTS FLOWERS Sapphire Mist aster. Photo by: Proven Winners. ʼPardon My Ceriseʼ bee balm. Photo by: Proven Winners. Black-Eyed Susan. ʼFloristan Violetʼ blazing star Photo by: Walters Gardens. ʼMiss Mollyʼ butterfly bush. ʼButton bush. ʼCatʼs Pajamasʼ catmint. Pow Wow Wild Berry coneflower.

Use a shovel to cut through the grass around the perimeter of your future garden, then remove all the grass and weeds from the area. Work some potting soil, compost or shredded leaves into the loosened ground. The soil should be loose enough to feel soft when you crumble it in your hands.