skip to main content

Butterfly Garden

Wish my new BF garden luck!

15 years ago

I was given permission to help convert a friend's volleyball court into a butterfly garden. It's situated in a quite upscale suburban neighborhood where each property is a couple of acres, and they all back up to each other. Every yard is meticulously manicured and weed free. So, the "back yard" is a HUGE open area (10 acres?) very similar to a golf course. My "little" garden (40'x40') is smack dab in the middle for everyone to see. I'm feeling torn between staying as faithful to the butterflies as I can( using native plants in large groupings and herbs and grasses), and trying not to send the neighborhood into culture shock. I've already hauled in a truckload of leaves to mulch, since I'm growing in mostly sand. That already brought several curious neighbors out to see what I'm doing. My original plan was to use wintersown seedlings to plant the entire plot, but I decided I need some mature plants to provide a bit of structure. So far I've transplanted:

New England Aster

Red Milkweed

Obedient Plant

Malva Sylvestris

Daisies (the owners' favorites)

Liatris

Coneflowers

BES

Anise Hyssop

Blue Salvia

I have multiple sprouts of:

Monarda (several types)

BES

Liatris

Malva

Coneflowers

Dill

Fennel

Parsley

Indian Grass

Lupine

Sunflowers

Anise Hyssop

snapdragons

Red Milkweed

Orange Milkweed

Swamp Milkweed

Rudbeckia

Red Salvia

zinnias

If any of you have suggestions of other plants I should try to include, I'd welcome them. What I have so far is based mostly upon what I had available to take divisions of and transplant from my own garden. These were also chosen for the butterflies I know are most common/popular here in Michigan. I'm hoping/expecting to attract Monarchs, Swallowtails, Giant Swallowtails and any others that happen by. What do you think? Thanks for your moral support.

Martha

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

MissSherry
15 years ago
Those look great, Martha!
It would be good to have plenty of each host plant in case butterflies lay eggs on them - I guess you know that monarchs can eat a LOT of milkweed! So can black swallowtails eat a lot of dill, fennel, etc.
Giant swallowtails use the same nectar plants as other butterflies, but I don't see any host plants for them on your list, although maybe you didn't want to include host plants for them? They use several cold hardy plants, like Zanthoxylum americanum and Ptelea trifoliata - I don't know how cold hardy rue is, but they use that, too.
Good luck!
Sherry
docmom_gw
Original Author
15 years ago
Sherry,
Thanks for your quick reply. I do have tons of milkweed and hundreds of sprouts. I hadn't looked into host plants for Giant Swallowtails, but I'll see if I can find those at the nursery. I have one rue plant in my own garden that was new last year, and it hasn't shown it's head yet. I'm pretty sure my sister has it here in MI and it's perennial for her. I'll throw some more dill, fennel and parsley seeds into pots for transplant later. If I can find the time, I'll try to get some photos so I can show the progression.

Martha
Related Discussions
My 2nd Bag & Sphag - Wish Me Luck!
Q
Comments (18)
I've taken the Den keiki out of the baggie, placed it into a small clay pot with some bark, and left a couple of strands of moss loosely bunched at the root area... I've got the clay pot set in a clay saucer, and under that is a plastic saucer with a little water in it. The whole thing is sitting on a heating pad under grow lights. I hope this covers the light, warmth, and a bit of humidity. I'll watch it closely, and add water as needed. I really wish our greenhouse was up and operational right now... it will be a while before growth appears on the Coelogyne without that advantage! Everyone is seeing new growth on theirs already... everyone except me! The pbulb is quite wrinkled, but it's still green and the leaves are both still hanging in there! No sign of new growth yet, but I don't have the advantage that a greenhouse gives. I must say... this is all so exciting and suspenseful! Regardless of the outcome, I look at this as a wonderful opportunity to learn, and to hone my skill at growing! Now I'm wondering if I should do anything different with the Coelogyne? Should I move it into more light? Dare I put it into a clay pot with bark? Or am I just freaking out?!
...See More
I'm jumping in...wish me luck!!
Q
Comments (27)
I had to laugh at 'relaxing and reading the book' statement too. I love to read, but it would take about two years to get through a book in my garden. I try, then I notice a spent bloom that needs deadheading. I sit back down, oops, there is a weed.... I have Disneyland and it is a beauty, but it does need to be sprayed or you will have black spot. Regarding spraying, be sure that your roses are well watered at least a couple of hours prior to spraying and don't spray in the hot sun, I find that morning works best for me after I watered well late afternoon the day before. I have found the organics work much better as fertilizer. Also be sure to water the entire bed, not just near the rose bush. The roots grow out quite far, watering close up won't get to them. Water well. I have found that many of the David Austin roses do well in the heat and hold up better than most, especially Mary Magdeline, Sophy's Rose, LD Braithwaite and Ambridge Rose. I also find it helpful to pay close attention to zones when people post here. While I agree with everything written on this post, it is all universal, many things are regional. A rose that works well somewhere else may not work well for you in your zone. Welcome Lisa. Come pick out brains any time. Nancy
...See More
A new BF gardener has some questions!
Q
Comments (10)
In many locations (most?) milkweed comes back from the roots, as do other perennials. Mine certainly do, but I'm a lot warmer than you are. The seeds are carried away from the mother plant on their little parachutes, by design. I don't have any more plants in my garden than I started out with. I have no idea if my neighbors are plucking them out of their landscaping, or not! I sowed those seeds into 4 inch containers and planted them out when the weather permitted. If I recall correctly, I started (inside) a couple of months before transplant time in late April. (Yes, heat mats and grow lights.) Black Adder Hyssop is, I believe, a hybrid that produces sterile seeds. A quick look around the internet indicates that only plants are being sold. I've grown other hyssop, though, and have found them pretty easy. Be SURE to obtain American Bittersweet seeds or plants and not the hugely invasive Chinese (or Asiatic or Oriental) variety. Buy from a reputable source. SO! Let's get down to the nitty gritty, sjc48. How come you had problems with heat mats and grow lights? Can I help? (Email me, if you want.) ;-)
...See More
Wish me luck with butterflies at our garden tour
Q
Comments (5)
The garden tour was "WONDEROUS" ( to quote tdog). Twenty five visitors spent about 2 hours walking every path examining plants and butterflies, asking questions about our: butterly stepping stones, 1000-gallon water-collection system, butterfly feeder plates, and about butterflies and the best butterfly magnets. Many of them are coming back in a few weeks to watch the Monarch migration visit Camelot. It brings me such pleasure to be able to share our plants and butterflies with interested visitors. mike
...See More

Related Stories

DECORATING GUIDES Up the Luck in Your Home

No need to pillage the garden for shamrocks. These 10 good-luck totems and décor options may work like a charm

LIFE Do You Believe in Luck Around the House?

By Becky Harris

Broken mirrors, spilled salt, an unavoidable ladder — superstitions don't seem to affect this homeowner. Knock wood

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Small Garden? You Can Still Do Bamboo

By Matt Kilburn

Forget luck. Having bamboo that thrives on a wee plot just takes planning, picking the right variety, and keeping runners in check

GARDENING GUIDES 6 New Plant Varieties That Beat Out Their Parents

With better resistance and fewer demands, these garden beauties are worth a spot on your wish list

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Asclepias Incarnata for a Butterfly Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Beautiful swamp milkweed makes it easy to help monarchs and other pollinators in eastern U.S. gardens

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Osmunda Cinnamomea

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Cinnamon fern brings spring interest and summer cool to the shade garden

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Great Design Plant: Sun-Loving Bougainvillea Showers Yards With Color

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Bring unbeatable vibrancy to a garden or wall with this unfussy and trainable shrub packed with colorful bracts

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Great Design Plant: Red Bird-of-Paradise Soars With Color

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Fiery bursts of red-orange flowers bring hot summer gardens to life, while this shrub's drought tolerance keeps the living easy

SPRING GARDENING How to Grow a Rose Garden in Pots

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Everything can come up roses, even without a plot of soil in sight. This step-by-step guide to growing roses in containers shows you how

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Tsuga Canadensis ‘Bennett’

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Bennett Canadian hemlock thrives in shade and provides sculptural interest in eastern U.S. gardens

Sponsored

More Discussions

?what to do with this little guy?

3