A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 Butterfly Gardens

I have just planted several great plants for a butterfly garden. Who might can offer some good success stories I might can use for my garden. I have also included a basking rock as well as a watering source for "puddling". I have just installed a butterfly house as well.

Sounds exciting Russ!
Can you share with us which plants you put in for the butterflies? That way we can tell you our successes with the same or others...

In my yard, I've seen butterflies on Tiger Lilies, Enchinacea (Purple Cone flower) Gaillardia, and monarda (bee balm). Just about any wild flowers will do.
Yes, tell us what you got!

It would be easier for me to tell what plants I don't have than have.
Right now butterflys are on spiderwort/salvia/marigold/azealias/alluims/yarrow/shamrocks/easter lillys&red honeysuckle.

they really like my cosmos,zinnias,salvias/sages,cannas the small flowered ones,yarrow ,they defoliate my MGs but not all is the small flowered ones they defoliate the others are fine useually.they like all mints pretty much.

I have a birdbath I fill with sand and keep wet and thats also where usually I sprout my iris seeds.I grow hummingbird vine up the birdbath and let some root in sand in it also.and when my mimosa tree is in bloom the whole yard is covered as well as the trees.I also keep the ground wet around pond in mornings for them,they'll land in the sand and drink up and flutter off.

I also have a pattern for a butterfly house(change the hole....its a bluebird house)& seen one land on lilly pad in pond yesterday

Here's a plan for a Butterfly house,if anyone is interested...

Butterfly house

G-Mom

HI Gardenmom i like you design on the butterfly house i have been makeing them for years you can also use twigs in them insted of bark.here a link to see some that i have built.also some bird houses.
http://www.msnusers.com/mike57flowers/birdhouses.msnw?albumlist=2
hope you enjoy the photos.your friend in gardening.mike57

Wow,Mike...those are great houses I got my hubby to build 2 bluebird houses...now I want him to build me a butterfly house!

I'd also like to have a Bat house as we have them flying around every night. Have you ever seen plans for them?

G-Mom

I found these when looking for a new project for hubby -- he just loves when I do that...

http://habitat.ms11.net//bat/bathome.htm

Gisela

HI Gardenmom i dont build bat houses i have them here but theres a few old coal mines around me so they live in them.but i did find a link to a site that shows you how to build one heres the link.
http://floridabats.org/BatHousePlans.htm
hope this helps you some they dont look to hard to build.your friend in gardening.mike57

HI All for all of you that like butterfly houses i found a link for you all to look at.they sell all kinds of houses for those who cant or are not able to build them they have a nice viratiy to pick from.just thought i would share it with you.butterfly houses make a great yard decoration as well as being usefull to our colorfull friends.heres the link.
http://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/butterfly_houses.asp
hope you enjoy.your friend in gardening.mike57