Turn Your Yard into a Butterfly Garden

Everyone loves butterflies. It's one of the few insects children enjoy. Did you know you can turn your yard into a butterfly garden? Well, you can with a little planning and some action. To begin you must do some research. You must find out a few important factors about the butterflies so that you will succeed in your garden project.

Butterfly Garden Plan

1. You must do some research to find out what kind of butterflies live in your area. This is very important because different varieties of caterpillars and butterflies have different diets.
2. After you identify the different types of butterflies that live in your area, you need to research the types of flowers they require for food (plant nectars) and reproduction (host plants).
3. Call or visit nurseries to purchase the seeds or plants that your butterflies need to eat and reproduce.

Butterfly Garden Design

1. Once you find have all the information above, you can start planting your flowers. Plant the perennials towards the back of your garden and the annuals in the front. The reason for this is to give you access to replant the annuals.
2. Be sure to plant taller plants in the back. They will use these to perch.
3. You can provide water for them by using a birdbath.
4. Butterfly houses provide additional shelter from the weather and predators and may even be used for hibernation..

Once you finish your garden, you can either wait for the butterflies to visit or you can buy a live butterfly kit. After they turn into butterflies, you can release them in your yard and enjoy them!

 Just because you live in the city in an apartment doesn't mean you can't enjoy a butterfly garden.  Butterfly garden kits bring everything you need, including an enclosure that allows you to watch the metamorphosis.  Once the caterpillars turn into butterflies, you can set them free in a park.  It's a great way for kids to learn about nature and nurture a love for nature.