The Butterfly Garden Plan

Two years ago I decided I was going to intentionally start planting for the butterflies and went on the hunt for as much information as I could find. I tried to find a few host plants as well as nectar plants and started trading seeds to fill my garden. Pictured here are yarrow plants"summer berries" mix. Some host plants finding their way in the garden were hollyhock, mallow, pentas and passion vine. Nectar plants were everything from columbines and dianthus to the varieties of milkweed and as many butterfly bushes I could pack in my yard. Last year was the first bloom for some, and attracted a few monarchs, but not many others. This year we are finding the host plants eaten, small caterpillars (I haven't identified), and one beautiful butterfly followed me around the garden all day yesterday. Hopefully one of many to come!