With the huge growth
that many cities and towns are experiencing
we see the dwindling of Natural Meadows. With the absence of
natural meadows, the habitat for butterflies, birds and other
wildlife are dwindling too. Luckily butterflies are easily
enticed back if you plant a garden where the caterpillar (pupa
stage) has plants to eat and the butterfly has flowers to sip
nectar. Butterfly gardens are easy to plant and will give you
and your family a chance to see butterflies in their natural
habitat.
The basics are an open space with tons of sunshine and a shield
from wind. Pick a site with lots of sunlight with a few rocks or
stones that can heat up on which the butterflies can bask in the
afternoon sun. Try to place your garden near hedges or shrubs
that will help shield them from the strong winds. If it is too
windy, the butterflies won't stay around for long. The hedge or
shrub could become food for the caterpillar. You can find out
what the caterpillar likes best from your Nursery Garden Center.
Butterflies love mud puddles where they can drink the water and
soak up minerals. A patch of damp soil will make them happy.
Most important of all is that the garden be pesticide free. Many
people like to use pesticides to chase away unwanted pests,
unfortunately it will chase away your butterflies too. Put your
butterfly garden in a corner where there will be no chemical
pesticides used. Better still, ask your Garden Center about
organic gardening.
Flowers with nectar are a must for a butterfly garden. When
planting these nectar sources try to put in plants that will
provide flowers throughout the growing season since these are
the source of food for the butterflies. Don't forget shrubs and
wildflowers. Roses, geraniums and lilies have no nectar so plant
them somewhere else. Keep your garden diversified to attract the
most number of butterflies. Another component for the garden is
a source for larva food. The caterpillar needs food to grow into
a butterfly. If there is no food supply they will die. Plant
some herbs for both of you. They like dill, fennel, and parsley
on the menu. What they don't eat you can harvest for cooking
with fresh herbs.
You could also plant a butterfly site in garden containers. Buy
some pretty pots and plant them with flowers that have a
wonderful scent as well as bright beautiful colors (available at
your Garden Center). Petunias, daylilies or sweet alyssum will
do the trick. Of course the butterfly bushes are a natural, or
plant some hanging baskets with Impatients (you'll need some
shade here).
Some gardeners like to make there own feeder and solution. And
it is simple to do. Put 4 parts water to 1 part sugar in a pot
and boil it until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool. Get a
shallow garden container, saturate a paper towel with the
solution and place it the garden container. Put a stone in the
garden container so the butterflies have a place to perch while
they are feeding.
Get the kids interested. Have them keep a journal of each of the
different species that visit your butterfly garden. Let them
look up the butterflies on the computer to learn all about each
particular butterfly and it becomes not only fun, but a learning
experience also.
Since there are so many growing zones in the United States you
will want to talk with your Nursery Center for suggestions of
what plants to use for attracting butterflies in your particular
zone.
There is an old American Indian Legend about butterflies: "To
have a wish come true you must capture a butterfly. Whisper to
the butterfly what your wish is and then set it free. This
little messenger will take your wish to the Great Spirit and it
will come true." What a great legend.
