Container gardens that attract butterflies to your yard
These no-work blooms are sure to fill your space with the beautiful winged wonders
Brighten a bare corner with tiers of color
“Butterflies are innately programmed to seek out specific colors: yellow and orange,” says Christopher Kline, author of Butterfly Gardening with Native Plants. So the yellow coreopsis in this display will draw the butterflies in and the salvia will keep them there. “The cone-like shape attracts them, and salvia is in the mint family, which is notorious for being a good producer of nectar—food for butterflies.” Kline advises placing the sun-loving container in a bright corner and keeping the soil moist.
Dress up a table with a domed planting
Some types of violas are used as host plants for butterflies: The flutterers lay their eggs on the plants and the hatched caterpillar then relies on the blooms for food, explains Kline. And pairing two or more different varieties of viola in a lowprofile container is an effortless way to create a rustic, natural display. Kline suggests using blooms in the same color family but of differing heights to create the domed display here, which gives the container a natural, overflowing feel. Keep the soil of violas moist and place in full sun to partial shade for the healthiest, longestlasting blooms.
Perk up a patio with a blooming barrel
Daisies help attract butterflies to a container, and delphinium provides a source of nectar so they’ll stick around. Butterfly gardens and containers can run the risk of looking weedy, but this arrangement sidesteps that concern by pairing a taller, leggier bloom (the delphinium) with the shorter daisies and wild grass to help disguise the bare stems. To ensure this display thrives, keep the blooms moist and place in full sun. Note: Delphinium is toxic, so Kline advises keeping the display out of reach of pets and children.