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A well-planned butterfly garden becomes a small, but representative sample of the surrounding habitat and as such provides a safe haven for butterflies and other wildlife to gather, seek shelter, acquire food and water, reproduce and build populations do not underestimate the importance of even a small garden. The most obvious benefit of butterfly gardening is that it attracts wildlife, bringing butterflies and more into your garden for purposes of enjoyment, observation, study, and photography.īut there's another important reason: ecosystem/habitat conservation.
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Give new plants a good start: water and mulch new plantings to insure firm establishment.Select plants that are suitable for your landscape, and use pesticides carefully to avoid harming your butterfly guests and other beneficial insects.
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#Small butterfly garden design plans full#
Plant in shade as well as full sun: appeals to more butterfly species many forest species prefer shadier locations.Provide a mix of flower shapes: the feeding behavior and proboscis length of a butterfly dictate which flowers will be visited: long-tubed flowers, for example are typically more accessible to species with long probosces whereas many composites (daisy-like flowers) provide a feeding platform and easy nectar accessibility for smaller species.Provide a number of different flower colors: different butterfly species are attracted to different flower colors so include yellow, orange, white, and blue flowers as well as reds, pinks, and purples.Aim for a consistent host plant and floral venue throughout the growing season: choose plants that have different blooming times ensures that garden remains attractive and productive as long as possible provides food for butterflies during periods of low natural availability.
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Create horizontal and vertical heterogeneity: choosing plants that have different heights and growth habits creates numerous microclimates which in turn appeal to a greater diversity of butterfly species provides shelter creates levels/strata of feeding opportunities.They're adapted to the region, will produce a small but representative extension of the natural ecosystem, and can attract other wildlife. Incorporate native plants into the landscape whenever possible: most larval host plants are natives.Provide a combination of adult nectar sources and larval host plants: attracts maximum variety of butterfly species encourages butterflies to remain in your yard, reproduce, and build populations instead of just passing through allows gardener to appreciate all life stages.To make sure that nectar is always available, choose your flowers so that something is always in bloom. Butterflies are attracted to brightly colored, simple flowers with good places to perch. Water source with fountain: allows for easy and consistent access to water for drinking and thermoregulation.Ī wide assortment of flowers is better than having just a few kinds.Shelter: vegetation that provides protection from temperature extremes, storms/rain, and predators as well as locations for roosting/sleeping.Larval host plants: attract ovipositing female butterflies, serve as a food source for developing larvae.Adult nectar sources: attract and nourish adult butterflies.Major Components of a Successful Butterfly Garden Though many butterflies will drink nectar from a variety of flowering plants, their caterpillars are often limited as to which plants they can feed on. To attract these delicate creatures, your butterfly garden must provide food for both the adult butterflies and their caterpillars. Florida has over 200 species of butterflies, some of which cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.