Have you ever thought of building a garden that will become home to dozens of beautiful butterflys? All it takes is a little know-how and patience. Your reward will be a blaze of color, fragrance and butterflys.

Plant your flowers in a sunny section of the garden, butterflys love light and sun. You will want plants that grow at different heights. That will assure that your visitors will find needed shelter from heavy rains. Male butterflys, however, will welcome the wet soil from the rains, the mud provides certain essential salts which is necessary for reproduction.

Plant flowers in colorful patches since butterflys are drawn to an abundance of color. Ask your garden shop expert which flowers are the most fragrant.

The flower list* below attracts many butterfly species. Choose several that are easy to grow in your own area:

Aster
Black-eyed Susan
Butterfly weed
Coreopsis
Daylillies
Goldenrod
Hibiscus
Lavendar
Lilac
Marigold
Orange-eye
Butterfly Bush
Oxeye Daisies
Phlox
Pink Azalea
Purple Coneflower
Redbud
Rosemary
Verbena

*Source: University of Kentucky Department of Entomology

I am sure that there are other flowers that will attract butterflys, you just have to do your homework. Your garden shop is just one source for information. Visit your library, browse book stores and don't forget the Internet.

See the related links below for more garden information. Very often informational sites will list other sites and sources for additional data.

The Garden Helper: Growing Zones USA, http://www.thegardenhelper.com/hardiness.htm

Yankee Gardener: Flower Planting Chart USA
http://www.yankeegardener.com/resource/flowerchart.html

Create a Haven for Hummingbirds
http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/psamedia/2004/bbapril1.txt

Once your garden is abundant with flowers, fragrance and butterflys, be sure to share your treasure with friends, family and neighbors.

Hone your skills for work and family and you hone them for living life to the fullest