Sunday, March 04, 2007

Gardening to attract butterflies


There are some gardens which simply attracts many butterflies. How is this possible? Simply through butterfly gardening, an art of growing flowers and plants that will attract these colorful and dainty creatures to your garden.


The design of your butterfly garden is a matter of personal preference. Some points to consider are the size of your garden and the types of flowers and plants you want to grow. Butterflies are attracted to flowers that have nectar rather than pollen, like honeysuckle, milkweed, summer lilac, valerian, daisies, purple coneflower, yellow sage, day lilies and lavender. Pick a style of garden that appeals to you, but ensure it also contains the plants and flowers that appeal to the butterflies you wish to attract.


Besides flowers and plants for your butterfly garden, you can also create an environment with water of some kind. A birdbath will look attractive and keep the butterflies up off the ground, away from stray cats or mischievous puppies. A shallow dish on a post or hung in a tree will do just as well.


When planting your butterfly garden be careful how you coordinate the colors you choose for your flowerbeds. Although butterflies do not care about your choice of color, you don't want your garden to be full of unrelated colors and textures.


Delight your family and visitors with beautiful butterflies, but be sure to create a safe habitat for them. If you own cats, it may not be a good idea! Happy butterfly gardening!

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