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A British garden isn’t quite the same without beautiful butterflies, but don’t feel discouraged if they don’t flock to yours. Enticing butterflies into your garden is all about providing the right food sources for them – in the form of flowers produce lots of nectar – so by planting a few new additions, you could soon be gardening with butterflies all year round.

What to plant

You can keep butterflies flocking to your garden all year round with the right plant choices. Choose bluebells, dandelions, pansies, and primroses. In late summer, choose marigolds, lavender, chrysanthemum and honeysuckle if you want to keep butterflies in your garden through the autumn months. Remember that the greater the variety of plant life you have on offer to butterflies, the more kinds of them you’re likely to attract to your garden. If your garden offers deep vegetation, you’ll also be able to house the butterflies that can survive through the winter months.

Where and how

Your plants should be placed in sunny spots, which butterflies enjoy, but there should also be some shelter in these areas. It’s important to remember to keep plants well-watered, as this will help them to produce more nectar.

Don’t forget the caterpillars

Caterpillars present problems for many gardeners, but if you plan to fill your garden with butterflies you’ll want to make a plan to accommodate them, too. The plants that they’re likely to eat, such as cabbage, can be covered during springtime to protect them, and you can provide some alternative vegetation for butterflies to lay their eggs on. Good options include garlic mustard, sweet rocket, and nettles. If you do find caterpillars where they shouldn’t be, take the time to move them gently rather than spraying with pesticide, and if you grow herbs, plant extra and be prepared to share.

Tags: garden, gardening