Gardening for butterflies

A Yellow Admiral enjoys 
the nectar of Joe Pye Weed...

.... while the Red Admiral 
goes for the white buddleia.










If any butterflies are reading this article I know they will be delighted to find that some humans are creating gardens especially for them, and that there is even an on-line course on "How to Create a Butterfly Garden" created by the NZ Monarch Butterfly Trust. The next course starts on March 1st.

The course usually costs NZ$55, but the Trust is offering a free place to me or one of my followers. I'd like to offer it to the first person to email me (ecogardenernz [at] gmail.com) with the name of the only butterfly that I am NOT keen to see in my garden. 

I am always delighted to see New Zealand's endemic Red Admiral butterfly wherever it lands, and I plant lots of plants that butterflies like. Some of them, such as the very nasty (to humans) native tree nettle, pictured below, are allowed to grow in out-of-the-way-corners where they supply a banquet for the Red Admiral without harming any humans.

I have swan plants for the Monarch butterflies, but I have noticed that both they and the Admirals are fond of flowers which are made up of lots of tiny flowerets on one head.

The buddleia flowers are a perfect example of this, but the most popular similar plants in my garden are the perennials Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) and the Goose-necked Loosestrife   (aka Lysimachia clethroides).






If you'd like to know more about butterflies and gardening for them then check out the Butterfly Conference in Auckland on the weekend of March 16 and 17. There will be speakers coming from the USA and Australia as well leading New Zealand entomologists, plus Geoff Davidson who will talk on planting native species for butterflies and moths.