How to make your garden bee, butterfly friendly

While certain insects are a gardener’s worst enemy, there are some friendly critters we want to have around.

Insects like bees and butterflies are not only harmless and beautiful, but we actually depend on them for help. Without pollination, most of the beautiful plants in our gardens wouldn’t be able to reproduce. Here are a few ways to make your garden more appealing to bees and butterflies this year:

BRING THE SHADE

When you’re out in the hot sun all day, don’t you look forward to a little shade? So do our pollinators. By planting big, leafy annuals that offer hiding spots and shaded areas, you offer bees and butterflies a place to take a break from the sun between feedings. Butterflies also seek out shelter when the weather turns bad and are always thankful to hide out in a safe garden.

CHOOSE COLOURS WISELY

Bees, in particular, love yellow, purple, and blue flowers, so add a splash here and there. Before long, your garden will be buzzing with life.

BECOME A HOST WITH THE MOST

The best hosts and hostesses always have great food, so if you want to invite pollinators into your garden, make sure you have snacks on hand. Butterflies get their energy from nectar, so planting nectar-rich flowers is a sure-fire way to attract them. Some fan favourites include buttercups, garden mint, lavender, and bluebells. Remember to always keep your flowers watered to prevent the supply of nectar reducing.

OPEN A DAYCARE

If you want butterflies, you want caterpillars. Make your garden more appealing to caterpillars by letting things get a little wild around the edges. Mixed grasses, ivy, and nettles are attractive to butterfly larvae, so letting even a small section of your garden run wild will result in a happy home for these critters.

SAY NO TO PESTICIDES

This may be obvious advice, but pesticides are harmful to our valuable pollinators. Be cautious when purchasing new plants that may have been treated and opt for organic options whenever possible.

GO THE EXTRA MILE

Want to really impress our fuzzy little friends? Consider installing an insect house in your garden. These small structures attract bumblebees and ladybugs and can be purchased online for less than $20. You can even build your own!

If we all make our gardens a little more welcoming to bees and butterflies, we can help protect these special pollinators together.

123RF There are some easy steps you can use to make your garden butterfly friendly.