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Herbs, Vegetables and Weeds

© Murdo Morrison

Gardeners who hope to attract birds and butterflies to their gardens may fail to realize that many common plants can serve a useful purpose in creating a wildlife-friendly garden. Many of these are familiar to us as vegetables or herbs, perennial or annual flowers, and shrubs. By combining a numbers of these 'ordinary' plants you can create a garden that is useful for wildlife and for you too.

For example, many plants we consider vegetables provide food for the larvae of butterflies. Carrots, dill, fennel and parsley serve this role for the Black and Anise Swallowtails. Cabbage and broccoli, as many gardeners know, attract the Cabbage White and the Checkered White, while sorrel attracts the American and Purplish Copper butterflies. A number of flowers are also important for larvae including marigolds (Dainty Sulphur), lupines (Silvery Blue), snapdragons (buckeye) and violets (Great Spangled Fritillary).

Many common flowers and even herbs are important nectar sources for adult butterflies. Herbs that serve this purpose include chives, mints and catmints, as do many common annual flowers such as cosmos, marigolds, petunias, statice and zinnias. Perennial plants that provide nectar include yarrow, coneflower, joe pye weed, lavender and sunflowers. Many plants considered weeds also provide nectar, including clover, thistle and dandelions.

Fortunately, many of the same plants that are useful for butterflies are also friendly additions for birds. Many common flowers, if allowed to go to seed, can be excellent food sources for birds. Some examples are black-eyed susans, sunflowers, coneflowers, snapdragons, iceland poppies, forget-me-nots, corn poppies and oriental poppies. Plants that attract goldfinches include black-eyed susans, purple coneflower and wild thistle.

Many shrubs also develop berries that are important food sources for birds. Some examples are elderberry, holly, hawthorn, spicebush and pyracantha (firethorn).

An added advantage to the vegetable gardener is that many flowers and herbs attract pollinators such as bees. In our garden the raised beds where we grow vegetables are surrounded by herbs that, when flowering, are a powerful draw for bees and other insects.

So, if you want to attract birds and butterflies to your garden don't overlook the many 'ordinary' plants that can help you. And don't be too overzealous in cutting dead flowers or pulling up every weed. Today's dead flowers are tomorrow's bird seed. Also, consider planting some shrubs that will provide berries and cover for birds later in the year.

Note: All of the images used in this article were created in the author's backyard by the author. If you found this article helpful you may also wish to read the author's earlier article The Fast Track to Wildlife Gardening.