Cultivating a butterfly garden is a fantastic way to celebrate both the plants and flowers native to your region, and the delicate, colorful winged insect that these flowers attract. Butterfly gardens are popular throughout the country for their natural aesthetic and beauty; and whether your “garden” consists of a grouping of potted plants or is a true garden which covers your yard,  the general requirements for designing a safe haven for the butterfly are the same: they require a sheltered environment that receives lots of sun and warmth, flowers or plants that are rich in nectar, and a water source for hydration. With a little research and ingenuity, any outdoor space can host a butterfly garden – and Zeidler’s Flowers is here to help. 

Which Flowers Should You Use? A little research will reveal the types of butterflies that live in the Evansville area, and which flowers they prefer. For instance, American Painted Ladies will be drawn to asters and goldenrod; while the swallowtail will appreciate a butterfly bush. Even though each butterfly does have “favorite” flowers, most will be happy with any nectar producing flower. If you fill your garden with zinnias, sunflowers, asters, violets, goldenrod, and daisies, you’ll have butterflies visiting in no time.

Adult butterflies have a relatively short life span. To cultivate a garden which attracts them over and over, you’ll want to add plants that support the butterfly’s life cycle, from eggs, to caterpillars, to fluttering adult. Milkweed, thistle, clover, Queen Anne’s lace, and snapdragons will all encourage butterflies to settle down. Playing in the Mud: Butterflies are known for “mud puddling” – that is, they derive needed nutrients from muddy or sandy water. To give them a garden they will never leave, either construct a mud puddle that you keep well watered; or fill a bird bath or shallow container with a mixture of sand and water.

Please note: you do not have to plant a garden in order to attract butterflies. Potted plants, hanging plants, and colorful flowers in containers, such as those sold at Zeidler’s Flowers, will also encourage butterflies to visit. So add some beauty to your back patio, and sit back to enjoy!

If you need advice, flowers, or ideas, you can trust the floral experts at Zeidler’s Flowers. After all, we are committed to making Evansville a little more beautiful every day.