How To Create A Butterfly Garden Design

 

Butterfly garden design is becoming increasingly more common as we gradually become more aware of the importance of conservation of our natural environment and, especially, our native species of animals and insects. Most modern gardens are of a themed design and more and more folk are now choosing to design gardens that are considered friendly to bees, birds, butterflies and others. As well as being beneficial to the creature such a garden proves most enjoyable for us humans who appreciate being visited in our own gardens by our natural life.

One of the most popular requests that landscape gardeners get today is for a butterfly garden design. Creating an environment which will attract butterflies is not too difficult, there are, obviously, a few considerations that the garden designer should keep in mind. One of the most important aspects of butterfly garden design is the location of the planned garden which will, obviously, dictate which butterflies are likely to visit. Once the common species of local butterflies has been discovered you can set about designing your garden for them.

Below is a small selection of hints and tips to help get you started but we suggest that you invest in a couple of books and spend some time understanding butterfly garden design before you get started. For this reason we have included links to a few butterfly garden design books with a number of selected butterfly garden design books at the bottom of this page.

Butterfly Garden Design Plants

Once you understand the species of butterfly that are native to your local area, possibly, the most important aspect of your butterfly garden design will be the choice of plants which you will use. Adult butterflies are attracted to nearly all flowers as they are a source of nectar on which they feed. The bright and varied colors of flowers exist to attract the butterfly and the bee to collect the nectar because, during the process of collection, the insect will collect pollen upon its body which will be transferred to other flowers thus pollinating them and completing the reproduction process of the plant.

One of the most popular plants used in many a butterfly garden design is the butterfly bush, so called because of it's amazing ability to attract a multitude of butterflies to it's long plumes of blue to purple plumes. Other popular plants include butterfly weed, azalea, lilac, and marigolds.

However, if you really want to create the perfect garden for butterflies you should consider the whole life cycle of the butterfly. You will need to choose plants such as dogbane and milkweed but also allow for an area in which you can allow nettles and thistles to flourish. Such plants are not usually seen in gardens but they are popular places for butterflies to lay their eggs. When the eggs hatch the caterpillars will feast upon the leaves, form a cacoon where they will develop into adult butterflies.

Other Considerations in Butterfly Garden Design

To create the perfect butterfly garden design you should ensure that every need of the butterfly is covered. It is therefore vitally important to include a suitable water supply. Ideally you should incorporate a small pool into your garden design, maybe with a small boggy area with various grasses and reeds thus creating a natural environment for the creature.

If this is not possible you could opt for the inclusion of a bird bath (which should always contain water so you should keep a constant eye on it and not allow it to dry out). If you really are stuck you can place other containers, such as small pans or bowls, into the soil in various places around your garden (again ensuring that they always contain water).

Furthermore another important consideration is the creation of an area in your garden where the butterfly can warm itself. A simple solution is to incorporate into your butterfly garden design a small area of dark stone, rocks or other material which will store the heat from the sun releasing it slowly over time.

Final Considerations

You are almost there, we have covered the most important aspects of butterfly garden design but there are a few final things which you can add to your design to add interest and further enhance the environment for the butterflies. Butterflies will often feed upon other items of food such as freshly cut up fruit. It is important that the fruit is always fresh!

You can also add such items as a hummingbird feeder to which the butterfly will be attracted. Placing the item in an area where it can be viewed from a window will allow you to enjoy the sight of both butterflies and humming birds from the comfort of your home.

If you have the space you may want to add a garden bench or a gazebo which will give you a place in your garden where you can sit and enjoy it in finer weather. There is nothing better than relaxing in a small, private, space of your own surrounded in nature.

At the bottom of this page you will find more books about butterfly garden design.

 

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Below is a selection of books about butterfly garden design: