How To Create a Garden That Attracts Butterflies

Do you love spending time outdoors surrounded by beautiful plants and flowers? If so, you’ll definitely want to learn how to create a garden that attracts butterflies. These lovely creatures add an extra touch of magic to any outdoor space. In this blog post, Maple Leaf Associates Inc. discusses the best plants and flowers to include in your garden to attract butterflies, as well as some tips on how to make your garden even more appealing to them!

Attract Butterflies Using Colors

Butterflies are attracted to various colors, but they are especially fond of blue, purple, and yellow. Some of the best flowers to include in your butterfly garden are:

• Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)

• Verbena (Verbena bonariensis)

• Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

• Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)

• Marigold (Tagetes patula)

Provide Their Food Source

Another aspect to consider when it comes to creating a garden that attracts butterflies is plants that provide food for them. Butterflies love to feast on the nectar of flowers, so it's essential to include a variety of different blooms in your garden. Some good choices are:

• Asters (Aster spp.)

• Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

• Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus)

Add the Accoutrements

In addition to planting these beautiful flowers, there are a few other things you can do to make your garden more inviting to butterflies. For example, you can place a shallow dish filled with water in your garden so that the butterflies can drink and bathe.

It would help if you also considered how you'd like to admire your butterfly garden once complete. After all, why spend all that time planning and preparing without considering how to enjoy it? Might we suggest an excellent patio design that positions you to view your new landscape design from afar? 

Understand Your Hardiness Zones

Westchester County, New York, is in hardiness zone 6a, 6b, and 7a. Therefore, the best time to plant your butterfly garden is in the spring, after the last frost. You'll want to make sure that you choose a sunny spot in your yard for your garden, as butterflies love basking in the sun!

Need Help?

If you're not much of a green thumb, or if you simply want to use professional landscaping services, contact us at Maple Leaf for a free quote. In addition to landscape and hardscape design, we also offer lawn mowing and maintenance, lawn fertilization and weed control, and other services in Westchester and the Hudson Valley area. Call (845) 526-2024 today to learn more.