Butterfly Garden

Gardening Tips for May

Mother’s Day is the perfect time to give a gift of a living plant. Rhododendrons, lilacs, hanging fuchsias, and ivy geraniums are sure to please her. It’s time to put out oriole feeders—you can also attract them with fresh orange halves. Flower seeds can be sown directly in the garden now. Cosmos, marigolds, and zinnias will give you beautiful flowers all summer. Feed roses to encourage a vibrant display of color later this month. Treat plants to prevent insect and disease problems. Plant the vegetable garden this month, but remember that late frosts can still damage tender young plants.

Creating a Butterfly Garden

One of the joys of summer is watching butterflies visit your garden. You’ll enjoy them even more by planting flowers they love. Adult butterflies primarily feed on flower nectar, and some flowers are more appealing than others. To attract a variety of species, include nectar plants of different heights—smaller butterflies often stay low, while larger species prefer taller plants.

When planning your garden, plant several of each flower species and choose varieties that bloom in sequence for a long season. Nectar plants can be perennials, annuals, or shrubs. Some top choices include:

• Early bloomers: Lilacs, native Ceanothus, purple rock cress (Aubrieta), chives, and forget-me-nots.
• Summer bloomers: Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), bluebeard (Caryopteris), Gloriosa daisies (Rudbeckia), coreopsis, Shasta daisies, blanket flower (Gaillardia), purple coneflower (Echinacea), sunflowers, bee balm (Monarda), butterfly weed (Asclepias), lavender, gay-feather (Liatris), pincushion flowers (Scabiosa), summer phlox, yarrows (Achillea), catnip, verbena, and red valerian (Centranthus).
• Annuals for filling gaps: Marigolds, ageratum, cosmos, heliotrope, verbena, and zinnias.
• Late-season bloomers: Asters like Michaelmas daisy and showy sedum (Sedum spectabilis).

While nectar sources attract butterflies, true butterfly gardening requires caterpillar host plants. These provide sites for egg-laying and food for emerging caterpillars. Common host plants include clover, plantain, parsley, dill, and the leaves of birch and willow trees. Be prepared for heavy munching on these plants! Avoid overusing insecticides, as they can harm caterpillars and adult butterflies.

Butterflies also need water. A birdbath or wet gravel can provide a drinking spot. A butterfly garden is a delightful project for both kids and adults.