How would you like to gaze out your kitchen window at colorful Painted Ladies as they sip nectar from a butterfly bush?  Or watch dragonflies hover by your garden pond, while iridescent blues flutter on its sandy edge?  Maybe you'd like to observe an Anise Swallowtail as it grows from a tiny egg to a fat caterpillar in your fennel patch, and see its magical transformation into a chrysalis and then a butterfly with yellow and black wings.

By creating a haven for butterflies in your yard, you can greatly enhance your chances of attracting many colorful visitors like tiger swallowtails and admirals.  This can be as simple as adding marigolds and zinnias to a sunny flower bed, or as extensive as replacing the lawn with a wildflower meadow and establishing a backyard wildlife sanctuary.  Butterflies, birds, and other wild creatures need the shelter provided by a variety of trees and shrubs.

This “wild and fuzzy” style is easier on you and the environment, while creating habitat for an intriguing array of wildlife.  It’s also becoming a popular alternative to the traditional, manicured landscaping that demands high water and pesticide use.  Click on the topics below for lots of information that will get you started on creating your own butterfly garden.