Butterfly Gardening For Kids

Winged jewels of the air …flutterbys … no matter what you call butterflies, they entrance everyone. Planting a garden to attract them is one of the best ways to get children interested in gardening and nature while introducing them to a bit of science at the same time.

To attract butterflies, design a garden that provides a long season of flowers that provide nectar. Perennials, such as chives, dianthus, bee balm, butterfly weed, black-eyed Susan, and echinacea offer a succession of blooms. Add annuals such as cosmos, petunias, and zinnias, that flower all season. Flowers with many small tubular flowers or florets—liatris and verbena, for example—or those with single flowers, such as French marigold, Shasta daisy, and sunflower.

In addition to planting for adult butterflies, you also need to offer food plants for their caterpillar larvae. Sources can be certain trees and shrubs but also include herbs such as dill, fennel, and parsley, and ‘weedy’ plants like common milkweed and thistles. One of the best-known butterflies, the monarch, lays its eggs only on milkweed then its larvae feed on the plant.

Planning a Child’s Garden

You can add butterfly plants to existing spaces or create a separate garden are especially for the kids. The size of the garden should suit the age of your children; even a space as small as 3 feet by 6 feet will hold enough flowers to attract a few butterflies.

If the kids lose interest partway through the season and the garden gets weedy, don’t worry: neatness counts for very little to a butterfly.

Color is important since butterflies are attracted first by color so a swath of bright orange butterfly weed or red salvia is easier for them to see.

Fragrance is also a significant attractant; butterflies have a keen sense of smell.

Find the sunniest spot for the garden. Butterflies need the heat of the sun to raise their body temperatures, which helps them fly.

Plants: Children love to grow from seeds they sow themselves. Some perennials that germinate well in the outdoor garden are chives, butterfly weed, coneflowers, liatris, and yarrow (Achillea). They may not, however, bloom the first year from seed, so include annuals in the plan. For younger children, ages 3 to 8, use annuals with large seeds, such as French marigolds and zinnias. Sow seeds in color groups, rather than sprinkling them through the bed.

Accessories:

Incorporate a few rocks in the design. Butterflies often rest on rocks, which reflect the heat of the sun. Edge the garden with rounded rocks, put a small pile towards one side, or make a path through the flowers with flat stepping stones. Create a place where water can collect with a concave rock or a pot saucer filled with wet sand (Moisten the sand periodically if it doesn’t rain). Butterflies“ puddle” in such spots—the perfect opportunity for kids to watch them up close.

A Container Garden for Butterflies:

You can also create a haven for butterflies without a lot of space by planting flowers and herbs in containers. Group three or four large containers together in the corner of a patio or deck for more impact. You can also plant trailing annuals, such as petunia and verbena, in hanging baskets. The warmth of the sun is just what butterflies need along with a welcome puddling spot.

Become a Monarch Waystation: As your butterfly garden grows, think about becoming a Monarch Waystation . A Monarch Waystation is an intentionally-managed garden that provides food and habitat for the struggling Monarch butterfly population. As a rule, a waystation must include at least 2 types of Milkweed, the ‘host’ plant for Monarchs.

National Garden Bureau credits Eleanore Lewis as the original author of this article and the photographs are from the National Garden Bureau.

‍