Butterfly Garden

Welcome your winged visitors to their own oasis surrounded by colorful plants.

Photography by Brian Francis

Step-by-Step

To create a butterfly oasis (shown at right), dig a small, shallow hole (1 inch deep), and fill it with a layer of sand. Surround the hole with stepping-stones. The stones absorb heat, giving butterflies a warm place to sun themselves.
Arrange flowering plants in your garden. Place taller plants, such as rudbeckia and butterfly bush, toward the back. Tuck in medium-size plants, including lantana and ‘Victoria Blue’ salvia, in front of the tall bloomers. Finally, edge the garden with pentas and Profusion zinnia. Remove spent blossoms to encourage flowerbuds to form through the growing season, and mix water-retention polymers into the soil for moisture control.
Water the plants lightly after planting, and then add a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch. Water the entire bed, thoroughly soaking the sand and the mulch. To make the oasis easy for butterflies to sip from, keep the water level just below the surface of the sand during the gardening season. Usually you can rely on rainfall or irrigation to replenish the oasis, but be sure to add water during drought conditions.

Good To Know

Butterflies sip salts, water, and minerals from moist sand and soil. Be sure to keep water in your butterfly oasis.

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