Designing and Planting a Butterfly Garden with Kids
Acres of land are not necessary for a successful butterfly garden.
A window box, or container garden will do the job.
First, have your child select the plants from the list below.
Then, help them draw a simple plan, with proper flower spacing and plant accordingly. Use the steps below for planting your garden:
1. Dig the garden, brake up the big clods with a garden fork, and peat moss, creating a loose, fluffy soil for the young plants' tender roots.
2. Plant short flowers in the front and taller plants in the back.
This design allows proper sunlight and keeps both low-feeding
and high-feeding butterflies happy.
3. After planting soak the soil. This is good for the plants
but also helps butterflies, who suck the wet soil for salts and fluids--a behavior known as "puddling".
If you are starting with seeds...do NOT soak the soil but follow the instructions on your seed packets.
Tip: Planting groups of flowers rather than single plants will attract more butterflies. Keep your butterfly garden pesticide-free!
Plants that Attract Butterflies
Annuals
Coneflowers, flowering tobacco, impatiens, marigolds, phlox, sunflower, verbena, zinnia, cosmos
Perennials
Asters, bee balm, butterfly weed, chrysanthemums, daisies, live forever, purple coneflower, sedum, heliotrope, rosemary nasturtium and yarrow
Wildflowers
New England aster, bergamots or horsemints, black-eyed Susan,
blazing stars, boneset, butterfly flower, coreopsis, ox-eye daisy,
and purple ageratum.
Acres of land are not necessary for a successful butterfly garden.
A window box, or container garden will do the job.
First, have your child select the plants from the list below.
Then, help them draw a simple plan, with proper flower spacing and plant accordingly. Use the steps below for planting your garden:
1. Dig the garden, brake up the big clods with a garden fork, and peat moss, creating a loose, fluffy soil for the young plants' tender roots.
2. Plant short flowers in the front and taller plants in the back.
This design allows proper sunlight and keeps both low-feeding
and high-feeding butterflies happy.
3. After planting soak the soil. This is good for the plants
but also helps butterflies, who suck the wet soil for salts and fluids--a behavior known as "puddling".
If you are starting with seeds...do NOT soak the soil but follow the instructions on your seed packets.
Tip: Planting groups of flowers rather than single plants will attract more butterflies. Keep your butterfly garden pesticide-free!
Plants that Attract Butterflies
Annuals
Coneflowers, flowering tobacco, impatiens, marigolds, phlox, sunflower, verbena, zinnia, cosmos
Perennials
Asters, bee balm, butterfly weed, chrysanthemums, daisies, live forever, purple coneflower, sedum, heliotrope, rosemary nasturtium and yarrow
Wildflowers
New England aster, bergamots or horsemints, black-eyed Susan,
blazing stars, boneset, butterfly flower, coreopsis, ox-eye daisy,
and purple ageratum.
Planting parsley to attract caterpillars, will help to
generate a very active butterfly garden.
Kids Gardening Page
