Create Your Own Butterfly Garden

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly.
"One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."
- Hans Christian Anderson

If you've ever driven by a field of wildflowers and seen dozens of delicate, colorful butterflies darting about, you may have wondered why you never see any in your own backyard. Enticing these fluttering beauties to your yard is simple. A good butterfly garden includes only a few basic elements: sunshine, water and plants that attract butterflies.

You'll need to begin with a good location. An ideal spot for butterflies would be sunny and spacious. However, it is also important to have a few shady places that can provide protection on rainy days for these sensitive creatures. For example, a few trees or low-lying shrubs can provide shelter from the elements.

Like all other living things, butterflies require moisture. A terra cotta dish filled with gravel and water or fruit juice provides this necessity. For a more natural look, you can keep an area of dirt moist - butterflies love mud puddles. Another solution is to bury a container filled to the rim with sand or gravel and keep it stocked with water or juice.

All that remains to create a perfect backyard butterfly haven are the right plants. There are several types of plants that butterflies prefer and are easy to grow on your own. Listed below are a few species that butterflies enjoy:

• Butterfly weed
  
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• Black-eyed Susan
  
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• Daisy
  
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• Heliotrope
  
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• Marigold
  
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• Phlox
  
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• Purple Coneflower
  
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• Verbena
  
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Butterfly gardens not only draw in beautiful local species of butterflies, but provide a bright splash of color with a variety of blooms. With very little time and effort, it is possible to create an attractive home for these winged beauties that will add value and aesthetics to your yard.