Is The Garden In Paradise And Apple Garden

Over the summer of 2020 I have been charmed by the array of butterflies that have visited my garden, mainly attracted by my vibrant purple Butterfly Bush which is an absolute beacon for butterflies. With this in mind, it got me thinking about how I could entice more of these beautiful guests. Who does not appreciate a garden full of fluttering butterflies on a warm summer's day, weaving through the flora and fauna?

Planning a butterfly garden or a small green space is not only good for butterflies but also for other pollinators such as bees. Attract these wonderful creatures and in return they will help pollinate plants and add a firework of colour to your space.

Sadly, many butterflies have lost their natural habitats due to urbanisation and other human-related activities - with three quarters of species in decline in the UK over the last 20 years alone. But why are butterflies so important? Without them many of the links in creating a safe ecosystem in our environment are broken, so a key component in our food chain is lost. However, apart from the aesthetic attraction of butterflies, it's really important we do everything we can to give them a safe haven to thrive.

Chris Leaver Getty Images

How to care for a butterfly garden

Regardless of whether you are dedicating a pot, a patch or your whole outdoor space, make sure that you group the plants together to allow butterflies to find flowers and plants easily, but also make sure that the landscape allows you to observe them close up so don't obscure them from sight.

There are five key areas that need to be considered before you start. These are: flowers and Food, sunlight, shelter, water and a safe pesticide-free area.

Flowers and food - Butterflies do not just follow the scent of pollen. Colour is the key thing they notice in plants, with red, yellow, orange, pink and purple being most attractive, so make that a focus in your choice of colours.

Most butterflies live for only a few weeks in their splendid, airborne phase of life. Most of their lifespan is spent in other stages as an egg, caterpillar and chrysalis. It's especially important to provide food for all of these stages.

You will need to plant flowers that will continuously bloom from spring to help them come out of hibernation. Try Heather, Grape Hyacinths and Tulips. In summer use Liatris Spicata, Verbena and Tulips.

Shelter and warmth over winter is important so leave herbaceous grasses such as Pennisetum for overwintering caterpillars and eggs so they can burrow under in the autumn.

Both the butterflies and the plants which attract them need a lot of sunlight – at least 6 hours every day. Nectar-producing flowers should be placed where they receive sunshine from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Butterflies also require warmth to fly and they usually feed only in the sun.

Do not use chemicals such a pesticides and fungicides on your plants which will harm or kill butterflies. Even organic pest control options can kill or disrupt their feeding and mating habits. If you really need to tackle the effects of infestations, shield flowers from sprays and only use them to treat insect outbreaks.

Jacky Parker Photography Getty Images

Plants for your butterfly garden

A Buddleia, also called a Butterfly Bush, blooms from July to August and thrives when planted in a sunny or partially shaded area in a garden with fertile, well-drained soil.

Plant in spring or fall before frost and remove spent flowers to encourage new blooms throughout the summer.

Try straight up Buddleia Davidii 'Butterfly Tower' - for its majestic tower of mauve-purple flowers.

Watch out as some grow very large but compact dwarf varieties such as Buddleia Flutterby Petite Tutti Fruitti Pink are small and great for containers and thus small spaces such as balconies and roof terraces.

Butterfly Bush 'Tricolor' purple-white-pink

Erysimum 'Bowles mauve' - a perennial wallflower with mauve flowers from early spring. These can also be grown in containers as very hardy so easy to maintain. Plant in full sun and use well drained soil.

Verbena Bonariensis is very easy to grow and flowers from spring. Its tall presence and flat-topped flowers are a welcoming landing platform and provide weeks of nectar from June to October.

Verbena bonariensis

verbena crocus.co.uk

£5.99

Sedum is a butterfly magnet, and very easy to grow. It flowers in August and likes full sun.

Lavender loves full sun and blooms early and continues until hard frost. Remove spent flowers to encourage new blooms. It's also great as a container plant.

Echinacea purpurea or Coneflower is heat and drought resistant and easy to grow. It flowers in July through September.

Snapdragon is a real standout in the early spring and will bring lots of colour. It likes moist soil but ensure you deadhead to extend flowers over summer.

Snapdragon Antirrhinum majus Mixture Color Seeds 40+ Gold Fish Grass Oragnic Easy to Grow Beautiful Plant Flower Premium Heirloom Seeds for Home Garden Yards Planting

Salvia thrives in well-drained soil in full sun, and blooms from June to October. Cut back to encourage new blooms when flowers spent. You can also try Salvia nemorosa, or Caradonna.

Isabelle Palmer is a gardening expert and the author of Modern Container Gardening.

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