Stepping out in the garden one fine morning to find it teeming with butterflies... Could there be anything more pleasing, or more satisfying? Butterflies are nomadic souls with delicate, restless wings and an unpredictable flight plan… there’s no telling when they’ll show up and where they’ll go. So how do you lure these ethereal creatures into your yard? The answer, friends, is simple- by filling your yard with the plants they love the most. One of the most effective ways of attracting butterflies is growing
Butterfly Bush, a magnificent fragrant
shrub with lovely, colorful blooms and attractive foliage. Butterfly bushes usually bloom from mid summer till fall and produce a large mass of nectar rich flowers. Butterflies can pick the aroma of butterfly bush flowers over miles, meaning you can expect plenty of color, and butterflies in your garden, right through the period of bloom. What makes butterfly bush so special is the ease with which it can be grown. You can plant butterfly bush in both spring and fall. Pick a sunny location with well drained soil. Use a garden fork to loosen the soil, mix good quantities of compost and sow the plant such that the top of the root ball is level to the surface soil. Butterfly bush relishes regular irrigation and a spring time application of organic compost. Prune butterfly bushes in spring and again in winter. A good 3-4 inch layer of mulch will keep the roots safe from the cold. Butterfly bush is a plant of many applications. This beautiful shrub can grow 5-10 feet tall and is perfect for perennial borders. You can grow butterfly bushes in large groups to create a dramatic effect or use them in cottage gardens. It’s a great plant. An absolute must for every garden!
