Have you considered creating a butterfly garden? Maybe you’ve just wondered what IS butterfly gardening? A butterfly garden is simply the art of selecting and growing plants and flowers that will attract these lovely winged friends to your yard for your enjoyment! There are a few things to consider before you create your garden to ensure success such as placement and plant selection.
First select a safe space that will protect them from the family pets. While we love to watch them flutter around, fido and feline may see them as a fun game of cat and mouse. Additionally, after you’ve made your flower and plant selections, be sure you’ve selected a place that provides the appropriate amount of sunlight and shade away from high winds. Add a butterfly house 
at least 4 feet off the ground to provide shelter during hibernation.
The design your butterfly garden is where you can let your imagine lead the way. When planning, consider are the size of your garden and the types of flowers and plants you want to grow. Select a style that appeals to you, but be sure it also contains the plants and flowers that appeal to the butterflies you want to bring in.
It’s essential to learn which plants and flowers will attract the specific butterflies that live in your area. Talk with staff at your local nursery and they can certainly guide you to the best selections. Butterflies are attracted to those flowers that have nectar rather than pollen, like honeysuckle, milkweed, summer lilac, Valerian, daisies, Purple Coneflower, Yellow Sage, day lilies and lavender.
Butterflies also need a place to enjoy some water. Try a birdbath
to add interest to your garden and keep the butterflies up off the ground. A shallow dish on a post or hung in a tree can work well too.
Some people find it helpful to draw and color a layout of their butterfly garden first to see what the finished product would look like. Keep in mind that warm colors like red and orange are flashy and showy. These colors have a greater impact against a strong green background. Cool colors such as blue and purple are soothing and toned down and would work better with a white contrast to create the look of freshness and brightness. Arrange your flowers and plants by height as well arranging the taller ones toward the back and smaller plants and flowers in the front to be sure you can enjoy them all. Let your imagination guide you, add pathways, lighting, water features, and even sitting areas so you can enjoy.
Happy Gardening!
