by Deborah Shelton
Cultivating a special home in your yard for butterflies
will introduce your children to a world of beauty and
wonder.
It's a project that you and your family will enjoy
in the planting stages, and long after.
There are five basic things to remember when planning a butterfly garden:
1. Butterflies love sunlight! Whether you choose to plant a
traditional garden or a container garden, make sure that the plants are in direct sunlight for much of the day.
2. Butterflies like to "puddle." Your garden needs a sort of watering hole for the butterflies to drink from. This can be done by simply filling a terra cotta pot or small plastic bucket with small rocks or pebbles about two inches from the brim. Add water to fill the remaining space. Place the puddle in the center of your garden.
3. Butterflies like lots of color! Group clusters of the
same plant together to make them easier for butterflies to see. A group of colorful flowers attracts them easier than single flowers.
4. Butterflies love to eat nectar. Use several of these
nectar-producing plants to attract them: milkweed, azalea, goldenrod, black-eyed susan, zinnia, aster, phlox, Japanese honeysuckle, ironweed. A few nectar-producing shrubs are:
butterfly bush, various fruit trees, privet, lilac and
redbud.
5. Butterflies need a place to lay their eggs. Witness the entire lifecycle of your new garden friend! Provide host plants where female butterflies can lay their eggs. Some host plants include: snapdragon, violets, milkweed, daisies, parsley, dill, Queen Anne's Lace, aster and clovers.
About the Author:
Deborah Shelton is the author of The Five Minute Parent:
Fun & Fast Activities for You and Your Little Ones. Visit
The Five Minute Parent for fun rainy-day activities, family links, and a free email newsletter filled with craft ideas, guest articles, contests and so much more!
http://www.fiveminuteparent.com
This article courtesy of http://www.freehomeandgardensoftware.info.
You may freely reprint this article on your website or in
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Additional Articles on Butterfly Gardens:
Top 25 Plants for a Butterfly Garden
Great ideas for creating a butterfly garden for you and your family. The top 25 plants that will delight your eyes and keep the butterflies coming back year after year.
Butterfly Gardens - 7 Essential Elements For Attracting Butterflies
Butterflies hold a sense of delight and wonder for all ages. By including these seven essential elements you can build a truly magnificent butterfly garden that will attract butterflies all summer long.
Enticing Butterflies To Your Garden
To entice butterflies to your garden there are a few things you will need and a perfect habitat to keep them happy. Once you have everything in place for the butterlies you will have lots of this magnificent creatures visiting your special garden.
