Creating A Butterfly Garden

Butterflies exist naturally throughout Canada. Species vary from region to region. With careful planning, flowering nectar plants which are their favorite food source can be introduced into the garden, therefore enticing them to visit. As gardeners, we can provide nutrition for them and also give ourselves an opportunity to view these fascinating insects.

Butterflies are attracted by and lured to plants through smells and scents. Bright, colorful flowers with strong fragrances may be filled with nectar, inviting butterflies to land and attempt to siphon nectar. Plants benefit from a butterfly visit for they may be pollinated.

Butterflys love to sunbathe. Since they are cold blooded insects, they like to bask in the sun on warm stones, therefore a garden site with good exposure filled with large stones to capture heat is a good butterfly site condition.

For centuries butterflies have attracted people to their magnificant array of shapes and colours. Today, butterfly watching is a growing pasttime second only to bird watching.

By properly creating a butterfly garden habitat, containing nectar flowers for the adults and proper food plants for their offspring (caterpillars), you will do your part to help conserve these beautiful creatures. They will add beauty to your living space and pollinate your flowers.

By contacting a local nature club or environment society in your area, you can get information as to the particular species that frequent your area. Butterfly books also give geographic ranges of species.

Your Butterfly Garden can be either formal or informal. Regardless of your choice remember the main elements for your Butterfly Garden:

• butterflies need a good source of nectar bearing flowers
• food plants on which to lay their eggs
• a sunny location sheltered from the wind
• a source of water
• an area which is undisturbed
• pesticides and herbicides cannot be used in or near your butterfly garden

SUGGESTED ANNUALS, PERENNIALS AND SHRUBS TO ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES