Construction of a Butterfly Garden
This habitat will attract both butterflies and bees. They both feed on nectar, a sugary substance which provides an important energy source for these insects in flight. They are attracted to the scent and colour of flowers which signals "nectar here". Butterflies prefer heavily perfumed flowers and although bees are attracted by the scent, it is the colour and the markings on the petals which guide them into the centre of the flower. With different species of plant there will be, hopefully different species of insect come to feed and possibly stay on to breed and over-winter in the garden.
Preparation
The preparation of this site should be very similar to that for the
Wildflower Meadow.
Choose a site which is sunny, open, but sheltered from the prevailing winds.
To get rid of perennial weeds, the area should be dug over thoroughly and remove
the weeds by hand or covered with a black polythene sheet for a whole season.
Vigorous, perennial weeds such as Docks and Dandelions may need eliminating with
a glyphosate based weed-killer.
Have a planting plan ready for the end of the construction phase. Think about
how the area will be viewed after planting. How will you best see the butterflies
for instance? Perhaps the layout could be a typical cottage garden border. Put
taller plants at the rear, getting smaller towards the front and the annuals at
the front so that they can be easily taken out and replaced. Most of your plants
may come in pots but you could leave some gaps in the planting for some seed sowing.
Materials
Chose nectar producing plants which will flower throughout the spring, summer
and autumn. They need not be all wild flowers; many garden specimens can be
added, including some annuals. There could also be some grasses.
Tools for planting - trowel and/or spade.
Construction
On a site starting from scratch, after having disposed of unwanted perennial
weeds and turf, all large stones must be removed and the area thoroughly raked.
Use a garden sieve if necessary to cultivate the soil to a fine tilth. Rake
and firm the soil by treading or rolling until the area is level.
If you are using pot-grown plants, they can be planted anytime provided that
the soil is not too wet and there is no threat of frost. However the autumn
is the best time for planting. This will give the plants a chance to become
established before the winter weather sets in. Water the plants in their pots
and leave for about an hour before planting. Place the plants in groups, each
plant being 20-40cm. (8-16in.) apart according to your planting plan. Dig a
hole about twice the size of the potted plant, using a trowel. Loosen the soil
in the base of the hole should it be compacted. Remove the plants from their
pots, place in the hole, adjust the depth until the root ball is level with
the surrounding soil, add soil and firm down and water well. Annuals can be
sown as seed according to the suppliers directions on the packet. These can
be used to fill in any gaps between the perennials. If you are planting shrubs,
see the technique used in the Hedgerow habitat.
Plants
|
Buddleia (Buddleia davidii) |
Peacock, Whites, Small Tortoiseshell, Commas, Red Admiral, Brimstones Verbena (Verbena bonariensis) most butterfly species. |
| Sedum (Sedum spectabile) |
Small Tortoiseshell & Bumble Bee Candytuft (Iberis umbellata) most butterfly species. |
| Yellow Alyssum (Alyssum saxatile) | Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell Peacock |
| French Marigold (Tagetes patula) | most butterfly species |
| Tobacco Plant (Nicotiana alata) | Moths - especially Hawkmoth |
| Golden Rod (Solidago canadensis) | most butterfly species. |
| Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) | Bees & early butterfly broods |
| Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) | Long-tongued moths, butterflies & bees. |
| Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro) | Bees |
| Phlox (Phlox paniculata) | most butterfly species & moths |
| Red Valerian (Centranthus rubra) | Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, Small Tortoiseshell |
| Michaelmas Daisy (Aster novi-belgii) | Small Copper, Tortoiseshell |
| Lavender (Lavandula spp.) | Meadow Brown, late broods of Whites, Bees |
| Thyme (Tymus - all types) | most butterfly species |
| Sweet Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) | |
| Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) | Bees |
| Mint (Mentha - all types) | most butterfly species |
| Aubretia | most butterfly species. |
| Honesty (Lunaria annua) | most butterfly species |
| Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) | Brimstone, Common Blue |
| Mignonette (Reseda lutea) | |
| Ivy (Hedera helix) | Holly Blue,Tortoiseshell |
| Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) | Common Blue, Small Copper, Bees |
| Grasses - Meadow Grass, False Brome, Cocksfoot, Yorkshire Fog |