How to Make a Butterfly Container Garden

One great way to attract butterflies to your patio or yard is by creating a butterfly container garden. A container garden is really just a bunch of plants in a large pot or planter. They can be positioned on your deck or patio, or even put on wheeled carts so they can be moved. Planting a butterfly container garden is a great way to make your yard even more beautiful

Butterfly Container Garden - The Container and Placement

Choosing a planter for your butterfly container garden is the first step. You should choose one that is rather large, since many plants that butterflies enjoy need a lot of room. You may use either a large flower pot, or a constructed rectangular tray.

The butterfly container garden should be situated in full sun. However, it is also a good idea to place it near a wall or hedge. This will provide shelter and a windbreak for the butterflies. Butterflies also enjoy puddles, but not containers or water such as bird baths. Placing the butterfly container garden near a patch of ground that holds water after a rain is a great idea.

Butterfly Container Garden - The Flowers or Plants

Different types of butterflies enjoy the nectar from different types of plants. Other plants are well suited as host plants for their eggs and larvae. Some of the butterflies' favorites are too large to grow well in a planter or pot.

Some good perennial plants for your butterfly container garden include daylilies, asters, daisies, phlox, sedum, and butterfly weed. Some good annual plants for your butterfly container garden include cosmos, impatiens, nasturtiums, and zinnia. Provide a variety of flower colors and shapes to maximize the type of butterflies that will visit your container garden.

Butterfly Container Garden - Maintenance

Maintaining a butterfly container garden is easy. Of course, you must water the planter whenever the soil gets dry. You should also deadhead the flowers in the container garden. Deadheading is the practice of snipping off the spent flowers. This encourages bushier plant growth and more blossoms. You butterfly container garden should never be sprayed with herbicides or pesticides, as these may kill the butterflies of their eggs.

By choosing a large container and butterfly friendly plants, you can create a love butterfly container garden. Position the container garden in full sun on your porch or deck. Attracting colorful butterflies to your yard is easy with the right flowers and plants and some planning.