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Butterflies and Gardens: Making the Perfect Match

© Barbara M. Martin

I'm sorry -- one of the links in this article has become outdated after over two years, but the message hasn't. Enjoy! 4/99)

We all delight in the beauty of butterflies. Butterflies bring a special sense of wonder and beauty to the flower garden. This is especially true during late summer when our gardens sometimes start to look a bit frazzled by the heat. What better way to relax on a torrid August afternoon than by resting in the shade and watching the butterflies dance in the sunlight?

In case you've ever wondered which ones you've seen, try this beginner's quick and easy guide to butterfly identification in North America. For the ultimate photographic gallery of butterflies around the world,check with the Natural Resources people. If you have the scientific name, they probably have a photo and some basic information about your butterfly. (My favorite butterfly is the one named after a bus: Camberwell Beauty.) For even more detailed information about butterflies around the world, visit The Lepidopterists' Society site.

With a little planning now, you can enjoy your own butterfly garden this summer! The Butterfly Site is a great place to start learning about butterflies. The Butterfly Garden News from the North American Butterfly Association will help you, too. I especially recommend this thoughtful article about butterfly gardening in New Jersey.

Usually, the best spot for your butterfly garden is in full sun. Many of the plants butterflies prefer are perennials, meaning they come back from year to year, so it is well worth adding lots of organic matter to the soil before you plant. Compost or well-rotted manure would both be excellent choices for this purpose. Several inches of organic mulch such as shredded bark will also help keep them producing flowers at optimum levels.

The plants will reward your extra effort with abundant blooms, and after all, blooms are what attract those butterflies! That wonderful array of brightly colored flowers combines with the butterflies themselves to create a charismatic synergy in the garden. In fact, the more diverse your plantings, the more butterflies you can expect!

Butterfly gardens are very flexible gardens, and often include native plants and wild flowers as well as their more formal cousins. So don't worry if your garden is large or small, formal or informal; the over all effect is always a magical addition to your surroundings! For a delightful glimpse into the land of butterflies and garden fairies, take a quick look at this interesting (sorry bad link)Italian butterfly garden. Can you tell what the little creature is? Let me know! martin@mail.cvn.net.

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