FLYING FLOWERS
PLANT A ROW FOR THE BUTTERFLIES
There is a movement to get all gardeners to plant something for the butterflies. Their habitats are disappearing at an alarming rate. Our building, pesticides, herbicides, and clearing lands are all contributing to their loss. We can all help by planting a few host and nectar plants in our gardens, or by letting a small section of our land go (or stay) wild. If you have a garden, just plant some good nectar plants and put some host plants around it.
Nectar and host plants are
easy. Often native plants are the best. In my area, coral Porterweed is a
great nectar plant. Mock Bishop's Weed and Passionflower are great native host
plants. Annuals are also great.
Click on the logo to read more about this movement.
Questions or ideas?? Post them in my gardening forum! Click on the spade.
Here is a list of easy plants for your row:
NECTAR PLANT |
HOST PLANT |
| Zinnia - Tall annual, many colors, easy from seed | Parsley - Biannual; Low growing herb. Use Italian flat leaf or curly |
| Cosmos - Tall annual, many colors, easy from seed | Dill - Tall annual herb |
| Butterfly Bush - Tall shrub; comes in many colors | Fennel - Medium herb; use green or bronze |
| Penta - Medium shrub, red is best. Perennial, grown as an annual | Passion Vine - Vine, could become invasive in some gardens. Native to much of the country |
| Alyssum - Low growing annual; white or purple. Great for boarders. Easy from seed | Milkweed - Many varieties, many growing conditions, some variety native almost everywhere |
| Dianthis - Low growing annual; pink, red, white. | Legumes - Peas, beans |
| Ageratum - Low growing annual, blue or white | Cabbage - Ornamental or edible |
These are just common garden plants, and most are available in six or nine cell packs from your garden center. All are easy to grow, and will take most growing conditions. Remember: butterflies need sun, so be sure and plant your 'butterfly row" in the sunshine. To learn more about how to grow a butterfly garden, check out 'My Butterflies'.
Want to discuss your ideas and
questions with lots of people? Join our email newsgroup (GARDENWITHBUTTERFLIES), and
participate in our weekly chats.
Membership is free! Fill in your email address, and click on 'Join Group" box
in yellow. See ya there.
I started a web ring for butterfly gardeners. If you have a site, and would like to join, please do so! Please visit the other members of the ring too - just click on 'list' on the box below.
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The Gardening for Butterflies SiteRing This site owned by Melany Sarafis |
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