Methods for baiting butterflies to your garden: Recommended plant varieties and additional methods to entice these beautiful winged creatures
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In a bid to promote sustainable living and combat the climate crisis, Lynne Lambourne, the Gardena sustainability and DIY ambassador, encourages people to rethink their garden spaces as potential food production sites, biodiversity havens, and allies in the fight against the climate crisis.
The trend of welcoming more wildlife to outdoor spaces is enduring for good reason. By choosing nectar-rich, pollinator-friendly plants, one can entice butterflies into their garden. Pesticides have been a main cause of the decline in British butterflies in recent decades, making a natural approach to gardening beneficial for butterfly populations.
More than half of UK butterflies are in long-term decline, according to experts. If you're looking to support moths as well, Emily recommends planting pale or white night-scented flowers such as evening primrose or jasmine.
Helen suggests leaving out slices of ripe fruit and banana skins for red admirals and other butterflies as an extra sweet treat. For those seeking a more structured approach, Seedball's Butterfly Mix is a recommended blend of wildflower seeds known to attract and support a wide range of UK butterfly species.
Dr Emily Attlee, co-founder of Seedball, an award-winning not-for-profit organization, emphasizes the importance of gardening with butterflies in mind. By doing so, one can actively help these beautiful creatures and nurture the wider ecosystem.
To make a garden butterfly-friendly, focus on incorporating native, nectar-rich flowering plants, host plants for caterpillars, sunny spots with water and shelter, and avoid pesticides.
Jenny Shelton, a communications professional with 10 years' experience working in the environmental charity sector, recommends letting part of your garden grow wild, either around the base of a tree or as a designated "mini meadow", to encourage a variety of native grasses, flowers, shrubs, and trees, feeding both adult butterflies and their caterpillars.
Gardeners are urged to "ditch the sprays" to allow for caterpillar damage on leaves, as these insects are beneficial for the garden ecosystem. Butterflies need water, but it should be offered in shallow dishes with stones or pebbles to prevent drowning. Keeping the water dish topped up in warm weather is a way to support them.
Ivy provides nectar for butterflies and other pollinators through autumn months and serves as a shelter for overwintering butterflies and caterpillars. Jenny recommends "Trevors Felley Find", an ornamental thistle from Crocus, which has late-summer flowers and is attractive to butterflies.
It's better for butterflies if you can avoid mowing your lawn too early in the summer, as many common garden species lay their eggs on grass. Butterflies are important pollinators and vital links in the food chain.
To provide food throughout the butterfly season, plant a variety of nectar sources blooming from spring through fall. Good nectar plants include milkweed, coneflower, black-eyed Susan, bee balm, lantana, zinnias, yarrow, and butterfly bush (non-invasive types).
Include host plants where butterflies lay eggs and caterpillars feed, such as milkweed for monarchs, parsley/dill/fennel for swallowtails, and violets for fritillaries. Create sunny spots that receive at least six hours of sunlight daily, as butterflies need sunlight to regulate their body temperature.
Add landscape elements such as flat stones for basking, shallow water dishes with stones for perching, and areas of damp soil or mud puddles to provide moisture and minerals (mud-puddling). Incorporate structural diversity by creating different garden sections, such as a 'butterfly forest' with native trees and a forest margin with plants attracting specific butterflies.
Consider adding fruit bars for butterfly species attracted to rotting fruit, like charaxes and browns. Avoid pesticides and herbicides altogether as they harm butterflies in all life stages. Maintain continuous blooms and plant in clusters of colors and heights to mimic natural habitats and increase visibility for butterflies.
By integrating these tailored plant selections and landscape features, your garden will support multiple butterfly species through all their life stages while providing a visually attractive habitat. Spending time connecting with nature, such as watching butterflies, has been proven to reduce stress and improve physical and mental health.
- Apart from serving as a food production site, Lynne Lambourne suggests viewing home gardens as potential allies in the fight against climate change and biodiversity havens.
- Gardening with nectar-rich, pollinator-friendly plants, like evening primrose or jasmine, can entice moths into the garden, an effort towards supporting butterfly and moth populations.
- Dr Emily Attlee, co-founder of Seedball, advocates for a healthier ecosystem by gardening with butterflies in mind, which actively helps these creatures and nurtures the wider ecosystem.
- To make a garden butterfly-friendly, anticipate incorporating native, nectar-rich flowering plants, host plants for caterpillars, sunny spots with water and shelter, and avoiding pesticides.
- By letting part of your garden grow wild, you can encourage a variety of native grasses, flowers, shrubs, and trees, feeding both adult butterflies and their caterpillars, as recommended by Jenny Shelton.
- Gardeners are encouraged to "ditch the sprays" to allow for caterpillar damage on leaves, as these insects are beneficial for the garden ecosystem.
- To provide food throughout the butterfly season, plant a mix of nectar sources blooming from spring through fall, including milkweed, coneflower, and butterfly bush.
- Incorporate host plants like milkweed for monarchs, parsley/dill/fennel for swallowtails, and violets for fritillaries to provide food for caterpillars.
- By creating different garden sections, like a 'butterfly forest' with native trees and a forest margin with plants attracting specific butterflies, you can provide structural diversity and mimic natural habitats.
- Spending time connecting with nature, such as watching butterflies in your home garden, has been scientifically proven to reduce stress and improve physical and mental health, contributing to an overall focus on wellness and beauty.
