Plot to pull in the beauties
is a lovely medium-sized shrub, while smaller varieties, such as Hebe rakaiensis and ‘Pagei’, form really good garden features, and their lovely flowers are perfect for pollinators.
They’re generally a compact shrub, easy to prune and attractive all year, and they grow well in most soils.
Another butterfly-friendly option is Sedums, including ‘Autumn Joy’. By choosing varieties that flower earlier and later in the year, you’ll ensure there is a continuous supply of plants.
With purple flowers from summer to autumn, Verbena bonariensis are a great addition, as are cornflowers, Achillea and echinacea, with their long-lasting blooms.
These will also help attract butterflies, because the insects need to keep their body temperature high to fly.
That’s why you’ll see them congregating in garden heat traps – they can’t move until they’re warm enough.
Interestingly, butterflies taste using receptors on their feet. As they walk over the plant, the receptors tell them if it’s the right one.
If you don’t have a full garden but rely on a patio, balcony or even a windowbox, don’t despair. Lavender is a great insect-friendly choice for a box or container.
About 10 inches of ordinary compost, which some drainage holes in the bottom, and you’re away – but be sure to water well in warm weather.
Another perennial herb is Marjoram. Its white, pink or purple flowers grow on spikes from June to September and it’s great in pots, along borders or even as a groundcover variety, needing little maintenance.
Or try Lantanas, a species of perennial flowering plant in the verbena family.
I love this plant and so do the butterflies. If you touch the leaves, you get an incredibly zesty Mediterranean fragrance and the flowers are delightful, in reds, oranges and yellows.
You can grow this in pots, but it does need a bit of shelter to get it through the winter.
Finally, try the perennial wallflower (Bowles Mauve), which produces dozens of sweet-scented purple flowers from April right through the summer.
Wallflowers make great bedding plants, and will grow well in full sun or light shade as long as soil isn’t prone to waterlogging. They also thrive in pots and hanging baskets, providing you don’t let them dry out.
The added benefit of all these plants is that it’s not just butterflies that enjoy them. Pollinating bees benefit from the same plants, and the more insects come to visit, the more birds you’ll see and get to enjoy.
To keep your visitors happy, deadhead flowers during the season to keep them blooming, mulch your beds with organic compost and water well.
If you must use pesticides, look for one that doesn’t harm pollinators.
And when you buy garden centre plants, be sure to give them a good hosing down before planting out in the garden. Good luck.
What’s your garden security like? If you’re not entirely happy, a motion-sensitive security light is a cheap and effective way of deterring intruders.
And you can fit a batteryoperated model like this Mr Beams spotlight easily without any great technical aptitude. It’s weatherproof and the LED bulb will illuminate a large area, making it perfect for a back garden or side return. I found it for £25.47 via