Make a Butterfly Garden

Brightly colored butterflies are a welcome addition to almost any backyard or garden. There are more than 700 species in North America. And inviting them over isn't hard - so long as you provide the plants they need!

Here's how:

Plant these kinds of flowers:

• red, yellow, orange, pink or purple blossoms
• flat-topped or clustered flowers
• short flower tubes (this makes it easier for the butterflies to reach in and take a "drink")

 

Go for native plants. That is, ones that occur naturally, or are native to, your region of the country.

Here's why: It's a win-win. The native plants offer sweet nectar to feed the butterflies, and the butterflies pollinate the plants in return! To find out what native plants grow in your area, check out this Web site.

 

More tips:

NWF's Certified Wildlife Habitat^® web site offers even more help with selecting, planting, and growing the flowers that can attract butterflies to your garden.

Maybe you'll want to attract pollinating bees and bats, too. Here's another helpful Web page.

Happy gardening, and good luck!

Illustrations by Michael Slack