How to Create a Butterfly Garden

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Thinking of how to create a butterfly garden? The idea came to me when I saw how attracted my niece was to the butterfly exhibit at the zoo.
If you enjoy watching butterflies flitting around your garden, you might want to go ahead a create a a spot in your yard for them.
Ideas to Create a Butterfly Garden
There are ways of attracting them to your yard. You just need to understand how.
It is more than just attracting the adults you also want to encourage the increase in their numbers. This involves nourishment for the caterpillars, which become butterflies.

It Starts with Host Plants

You want to have some host plants in your garden. This is so that the caterpillars can have leaves and other parts of the plants to feed on.
To be successful at providing the host plants, you must first know which species of butterflies are local to your area. You have to choose the plants that are specific to them.
Check out some examples below:
1. The black swallowtail butterfly likes carrot, parsley, parsnip, and dill for caterpillar food.
2. The painted lady's caterpillar enjoys the thistles.
3. The monarch needs the butterfly weed or milkweed for its caterpillars to feed on.
4. The gray hairstreak's caterpillar feeds on the hawthorn plant.
These are just some of the common butterflies that could visit your yard. To feed the caterpillars in your area, check with local authorities to see which species live in your region.
Plants Producing Nectar
As the butterflies emerge and become adults they will also need nectar.

Some of the nectar-producing plants are listed below:
1. Blueberry (shrubs)
2. Lilac (shrubs)
3. Azalea (shrubs)
4. Phlox (annuals)
5. Coneflowers (annuals)
6. Verbena (annuals)
7. Coreopsis (wildflowers)
8. Daisies (perennials)
9. Bee Balm (perennials)
10. Black-eyed Susan

Location of Garden

When thinking about how to create a butterfly garden, think about the location. In order to attract butterflies pick a sunny spot.
Butterflies need a spot to warm up when since they are cold blooded. They cannot fly as well if the weather gets too cool. So they bask in the sun to warm up their muscles in their wings.
For optimum flying the air needs to be somewhere between 75 and 90 degrees F. So having your garden out in the sun, and also adding some other resting spots such as rocks will attract them.

Growing Conditions

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After choosing which plants you will be using, make sure the soil is in the right condition to nourish them.
You will need to make sure the soil contains enough nutrients so they can thrive. If you are not sure what type of soil your plants need check with a plant nursery near you.
Have Enough Space
Some of the plants that you create a butterfly garden with will spread out a lot while they are growing.
Make sure your garden area is large enough to accommodate all of them the right way. You want your plants to grow for years especially when you are using perennials.
It is good to plants both annuals and perennials though.
A Butterfly House
To protect the butterflies add a butterfly house in your garden. This will also safeguard them from harsh weather.
Make sure that this house is right next to the plants the butterflies love. This will help draw these creatures right into your garden.
Seating Area
It is fun to have a seating area near enough to your plants to watch the butterflies flit around.
You need to be sure that this area is not so close that it scares them away. Just set up some benches at a comfortable distance and watch the fun.
Some Species are Disappearing Today
You might be helping to preserve certain species of butterflies by having a garden specifically designed for them.
There are some species that are in danger of disappearing. Something as simple as your plants could be the lifeline that could save them.
There is nothing more enjoyable than watching nature grow and change. The life of the butterflies is a fascinating journey.
You can be part of it just by providing the right plants and atmosphere to attract them. Use the information provided here to create butterfly garden of your own.